The Ministry of Defense will pay special attention, in 2025, to the equipment programs for the Naval Forces, both in the maritime and river components, Defense Minister Angel Tilvar declared on Tuesday.
According to the MApN, Tilvar was present at the self-evaluation meeting of the activity of the Naval Forces of the Romanian Army for the past year and at the presentation of the objectives for 2025.
Tilvar appreciated the contribution of the naval structures in ensuring Romania’s contribution to the operationalization of the MCM Black Sea naval group, together with Bulgaria and Turkey, by reducing the risks posed by naval mines drifting in the Black Sea.
„The security environment in the Black Sea region will continue to be unpredictable and will require a high level of attention from the coastal allies. Within the efforts made by Romania, as a security provider in this region, the Romanian Naval Forces represent one of the main guarantee structures for the protection of NATO’s eastern flank in the area under our responsibility. All these efforts are visible in the fact that, today, with an armed conflict in the northern part of the Black Sea, one can sail safely, and the fight against drifting naval mines is a Euro-Atlantic success to which Romania has had and has an important contribution”, the minister of defense said.
He highlighted the budget execution, of over 99%, with which the Naval Forces ended the fiscal year 2024, which shows the capacity of this category of forces to use the allocated funds efficiently and judiciously. In this context, he indicated that the leadership team of the Ministry of National Defense will continue to support the Romanian Naval Forces for equipment and modernization.
„Considering the current and future challenges in the regional security environment and the fact that the Naval Forces have an essential contribution to the consolidation of Romania’s defense capabilities, as an ally bordering the Black Sea, we will pay special attention, in 2025, to the equipment programs intended for this category of forces, both in the maritime and river components”, concluded Minister Angel Tilvar.
Vice Admiral Mihai Panait, Chief of the Naval Staff, pointed out, in his intervention, that in the 2024 training year, the Romanian Naval Forces continued the permanent mission of providing security in the area of responsibility and the significant contribution to the fulfillment of our country’s commitments to the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union.
„In the context of a security environment marked by the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Romanian Naval Forces aim to demonstrate its firm commitment to strengthening the international response to the numerous challenges, through the continuous and important contribution to missions and operations led by NATO and the EU or under the OSCE and UN mandate, as well as within multinational exercises. By cooperating with similar structures in allied and partner countries, the Romanian Naval Forces will continue to act in the coming period in the spirit of the principle of strategic cohesion, in order to convey a strong message regarding the solidity of the deterrence and defense posture of the North Atlantic Alliance on the eastern flank”, the Chief of the Naval Staff indicated.
The event was also attended by the Chief of the Land Forces Staff, Lieutenant General Ciprian Marin, the Chief of the Air Forces Staff, Lieutenant General Leonard Baraboi, as well as heads of some central directorates and structures of the MApN.
AGERPRES