NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has sent a message on Tuesday to President Klaus Iohannis, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Romania’s joining the North Atlantic Alliance.
“This year we mark the 15th anniversary of Romania joining NATO, the strongest alliance in history. NATO enlargement has been a great success, a driver of stability and prosperity. It has enriched our alliance with new voices, new experiences and new capabilities. Romania, like all NATO allies, benefits from NATO’s core commitments, to protect and defend each other from any threat, from any direction. All for one and one for all,” the message says, according to the Presidency.
“Romania is a strong and committed ally, you contribute to our shared security and our collective defence, to our missions and operations. In Afghanistan I met some professional Romanian troops, who helped stabilize the country and deny safe heaven to international terrorists. In Kosovo you helped maintain stability in the Western Balkans region. In Poland, you helped deter aggression, as part of our international battle group. You also host a site for NATO’s defensive ballistic missile system and make essential contributions to security in the Black Sea region, on land, in the air and at sea.
This region is strategically important for the Euro-Atlantic security and deserves our continue attention and presence.
I welcome Romania’s plans to spend 2 percent of GDP for defence this year and to modernize your armed forces for the next decade. Romania understands that in a more unpredictable world we need to invest more in our defence. We need to stand together to keep our citizens safe. Security is the foundation for our freedom and our prosperity. I thank you all for your great contribution to our alliance. Congratulations on this very happy day!” the message concludes.