The presence of Finnish soldiers in Romania is proof that ties among the NATO allies in terms of efforts to strengthen the eastern flank, have never been stronger, Romania’s Defence Minister Angel Tilvar said on Tuesday at the certification ceremony of the Finnish detachment carrying out enhanced air policing missions in Romania.

According to a Defence Ministry (MApN) press statement, the event took place at the 57th Capitan Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino Air Base in Mihail Kogalniceanu, in the presence of deputy Chief of Defence Dragos Dumitru Iacob, Finnish ambassador in Bucharest Leena Liukkonen, Chief of Romanian Air Forces Staff Leonard-Gabriel Baraboi, and Deputy Commander of the NATO Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) Torrejon, Avraam Kazantzoglou.

In his speech, Tilvar thanked the members of the Finnish detachment for their commitment to carrying out this type of missions on national and allied soil, for the first time since Finland joined NATO.

„Your presence in Romania is proof that ties among NATO countries in terms of efforts to strengthen the eastern flank have never been stronger. It is also undeniable proof of the determination of both countries, together with the entire alliance, to co-operate as reliable partners at levels that we could not have imagined 30 years ago, given the current security situation on our borders,” the minister is quoted as saying in the statement.

He also thanked the members of the British Royal Air Force detachment who have been in Romania for over two months to carry out enhanced air policing missions.

„The missions that you will carry out together in Romania’s airspace will prove that NATO countries are ready and determined to deter any form of aggression and to defend the entire territory of the Alliance against any provocation,” Iacob told the Finnish military.

Almost 90 servicepeople (pilots and technical and engineering personnel) of the Finnish Air Force on seven F-18 Hornet aircraft will conduct, jointly with soldiers of the Romanian Air Force and the British Royal Air Force, enhanced air policing missions under NATO command, for approximately two months.

AGERPRES