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CSAT decides to setup inter-institution workgroup on multinational NATO brigade
The Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) decided on Tuesday to set up an inter-institution workgroup on the multinational NATO brigade in Romania.
President Klaus Iohannis announced the decision after the CSAT sitting. "We have decided to setup a workgroup that will start the preparation of all documents tomorrow, under the supervision of the national security advisor of the Presidential Administration (Ion Oprisor — editor's note). The approaches are multiple, some of them also very complicated. Starting from necessary legislative clarifications and down to drawing up a calendar showing very clearly what steps are practically taken and when to setup these initiatives. An inter-institution workgroup is needed, who will focus in the near future firstly on drafting a work agenda and a calendar. We're rather ambitious, and our military have proposed March or April as the period for setting up this multinational brigade — which means declaring its initial readiness, in specialist terms," he explained.
According to the president, the CSAT sitting focused on the steps necessary in Romania to implement the decisions of the NATO Summit in Warsaw.
"We're talking about providing the conditions for the support of the host country, in accordance with NATO standards, and about active approaches on military and diplomatic levels, in Allied debates and talks with the military authorities of NATO. This means we're the host state for the multinational brigade, and we have to prepare adequately to welcome troops coming from abroad and integrate them in the multinational brigade structure. On the other hand, approaches to other allies mean negotiations to persuade them to send troops to the multinational brigade and to the training initiative," Iohannis detailed.
The head of state asserted there are already some favourable answers about the participation in the multinational brigade, but not all of them have turned concrete — from at least six allies. Poland will send one company, and Bulgaria some 400 troops to the brigade. "Others are interested, and we have negotiations I can qualify as excellent. To conclude, we'll have enough troops for this brigade from several allies," he said.
The decisions taken in Poland require full, efficient and quick implementation, and all the relevant state institutions have been briefed on their related tasks, he added. Romania is waiting for proposals from the Allied planning structure for the Black Sea.
"We're in contact with all the interested allies to implement the decisions — which we could appreciate as historical — taken in Warsaw. All these measures and all Romania's approaches practically meet the National Defence Strategy and the consolidation of our country's positions," Iohannis said.
President Klaus Iohannis also said that there is currently no reason to upgrade the terrorism alert level in Romania.
He added that amidst the multiplication of terrorist attacks in Europe, including tragic events in France and Germany, Romania's Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) looked into a report on Romania's security state in terms of terror risks and threats.
"All the responsible organisations have assured me that there is currently no reason to determine the need to upgrade the terrorist alert level from its current position at blue, cautious," Iohannis told journalists at Cotroceni Palace after a meeting of the CSAT.
In this context, president Klaus Iohannis announced that the Foreign Ministry will elaborate and present in CSAT an adapted strategy about the Middle East.
He pointed out that in the CSAT meeting they discussed about the Middle East and implications in the area both for Europe and Romania.
“We requested the Foreign Ministry to elaborate and present CSAT an adapted strategy about the Middle East and suggestions of actions for Romania’s relations in the area,” Iohannis said following the CSAT meeting.
Romania's Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) also approved on Tuesday the bill on the integration of Romania's rail system with the single European rail space, President Klaus Iohannis announced.
"Romania's rail system, which is faced with a host of issues, needs to become competitive and efficient. It is a strategic sector both in terms of national security, and of the country's development," Iohannis said after the CSAT sitting, mentioning also that the respective piece of legislation transposes a European directive into national law.