Former Defence Minister Angel Tilvar has been awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
"Today, on Polish Armed Forces Day, I have had the honor of being decorated - at the Embassy of Poland in Bucharest - with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, a distinction conferred by the President of Poland, Mr. Andrzej Duda. I accept this recognition with emotion and responsibility. It is not only a personal token of appreciation, but also a confirmation of Romania's efforts to be a reliable ally and a strategic partner for Poland and for the entire region. It is also a recognition of all the MApN personnel I had the honor to lead," Tilvar wrote on Facebook.
He recalled that his term as Defence Minister unfolded during a "period of profound transformations and security tensions: Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continued to put direct pressure on NATO's Eastern Flank, drone attacks affected the territories of both Romania and Poland, while NATO and the European Union strengthened their defence and deterrence posture."
According to former Defence Minister Tilvar, in this context, Romania and Poland played a central role, becoming pillars of stability and security in Eastern Europe.
"The relationship with Poland held an important place during my mandate. I held bilateral consultations in Bucharest with Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, co-chaired the B9 meetings in Warsaw (2023) and Bucharest (2024), where Romania and Poland presented a united voice in support of Ukraine and strengthening NATO's Eastern Flank posture, and participated in conferences and meetings organized in Warsaw. All these moments consolidated the strategic partnership between our countries and confirmed that Poland and Romania are indispensable allies in Europe's defence," he noted.
Among the main projects carried out under his mandate, Tilvar listed: training and support for Ukraine (2023) - the inauguration and operationalization of the European F-16 Training Center at Fetesti; Black Sea security (2024) - launching, together with Bulgaria and Turkey, the MCM Black Sea Initiative in response to the drifting mine crisis; modernization of the legislative framework - adoption of the law allowing the downing of drones and aircraft illegally entering Romania's airspace; and major procurement programs.
He showed that he also signed the contract for the purchase of 32 F-16 fighter jets, the agreement with the United States for the acquisition of 32 F-35 aircraft, and initiated the strengthening of several key capabilities through additional procurements of Patriot systems, HIMARS missiles, Abrams tanks, K9 howitzers, Sentinel radar systems, anti-submarine helicopters, as well as steps toward equipping the Romanian Navy with a new light corvette.
"I thank Poland for this recognition and I thank all those with whom I worked to make Euro-Atlantic Romania safer, stronger, and more respected," Angel Tilvar concluded.
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