Romania has been and is one of the important contributors to NATO operations and missions, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said in the joint plenary of Parliament at the solemn sitting occasioned by the 15th anniversary of our country's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance.
"In 2019, we will continue to be among the top five states contributing troops to the Afghanistan mission. We will also contribute to the global coalition. The ultimate expression of Romania's commitment is the sacrifice of Romanian servicemen who have lost their lives in the allied operation theatres. Their gesture must remind us of the lessons learned at every stage of our Euro-Atlantic pathway. Only this way will we be able to give others the option of choosing a new way, and of course, with the knowledge that the everyone's security depends on the individual commitment of each of us," she said.
The head of the Executive expressed her conviction that the North Atlantic Alliance will continue to represent "the main guarantor of Romania's security" by acting "anticipatively and pro-actively" on the global security architecture, which is currently facing many challenges.
"By implementing the governing program, we will strengthen our country's strategic profile within NATO. Romania will continue to act with dignity within the Alliance to actively and significantly contribute to the decision-making process and to missions and operations alongside our allies," the prime minister pointed out.
Viorica Dancila stressed that Europe and North America must act together, "in a manner that ensures a balanced distribution of responsibilities on both sides of the Atlantic."
The prime minister underscored that, as far as capabilities are concerned, Romania continues to invest "in modern military equipment" as part of various military endowment programs. She mentioned that Romania will continue to be "an active and responsible contributor for ensuring the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area, but also for projecting these values in the neighborhood of the Alliance.
The prime minister appreciated that the 15th anniversary of Romania's integration into NATO represents a moment "with a strong symbolic weight and historical value" in the democratic path of the country.
The head of the Executive said that, by joining NATO, our country has "obtained the highest degree of security" since the formation of Romania as a national state.
AGERPRES .