The Parliament’s plenary approved on Monday by a vote of 258 to 6 the letter whereby President Klaus Iohannis informs the lawmakers of having approved the participation of the Romanian Army in the EU’s EUNAVFOR ASPIDES defensive maritime security operation, and also requests approval for the participation of the Romanian forces in the naval coalition PROSPERITY GUARDIAN operation (OPG).

The president explains that, after consulting with the Supreme Council for National Defence, he approved the participation of the Romanian Army with up to five servicemen, beginning 2024, in the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES European mission, in order to ensure the freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb and Hormuz straits, the international waters of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.

„Also, based on the provisions of Art. 7 paragraph (2) of Law No. 121/2011 on the participation of Romanian armed forces in missions and operations outside the territory of the Romanian state, with subsequent amendments and additions, I request the approval of the Romanian Parliament for the participation as of 2024 of the Romanian Army, with up to three servicemen, in the US-led PROSPERITY GUARDIAN maritime operation (OPG) mounted out of Bahrain, that will address security challenges in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The participation of the Romanian personnel in this operation, within the command stationed on the territory of the state of Bahrain, will start as soon as the legal status of the Romanian military service members on the territory of this state is settled. The financing for the participation in these missions is provided from the budget allocated to the National Defence Ministry in 2024,” Klaus Iohannis said.

AGERPRES