President Basescu: Updating military reserve directory, a legal requirement and NATO member's response stage
Updating the military reserve directory was an action required by law, as well as a response stage of a NATO member state, President Traian Basescu told a press conference at the Cotroceni Palace on Sunday; he added that Romania's Army is among the best trained in the region.
'The analysis has been carried out at the previous sitting of the Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT). There is nothing extraordinary about that, it is performed every four years in accordance with the law; this was the fourth year. Furthermore, there have been also some NATO response stages. Romania was not the only country to do this - all NATO member states did,' the President said, answering a question on the update of the military reserve directory.
Basescu said that 'there are quite many reservists in Spain and Italy,' but calling them up is out of question because 'there is no danger for a NATO member state to come under attack.'
Asked about a proposition made by Defence Minister Mircea Dusa to enroll youth up to 35 years of age, Basescu answered that the laws in force have no provisions to this effect, as Romania has 'a (...) a well-trained professional army (...) that is far more efficient than a non-professional army that would enlist 18-year old youngsters for just a few months, for nine months or for 13-14 months. The Romanian Army is toughened by 11 years in the real theatres of operations,' added the head of state.
Defence Ministry denies mobilization of reserve and registration of youth
The Ministry of National Defence (MApN) categorically denies the existence of a reserve mobilization or youth registration for draft, states a release on Friday.
'The mentioned document, the Joint Order published in the Official Gazette, Part I, No. 312 of April 28, 2014 updates the form of the medical certificate issued by family doctors, to be submitted by young people at the local registration and enrolment commission for the purpose of undergoing medical examination. This is a legal step in accordance with Article 27 of Law No. 446/2006 on the people's preparedness for defence, with its subsequent amendments and completions, which expressly stipulates the obligation of establishing a single form for this document,' MApN's release points out.
It specifies that the certificate is similar to the one used by professional soldiers and officers, and the legislative measure is not related in any way to the possible evolution of the security environment around Romania.
'As regards the appreciations of the Army's operational capability or of Romania's involvement in any military operations on Ukraine's territory, the Ministry of National Defence declares that these are speculations, and falling into a psychological warfare trap should be avoided. Romania's Army is capable of fulfilling its duties stipulated in the Constitution to defend the national security and to meet Romania's international commitments in military terms,' the Defence Ministry informs.
MApN's release adds that Romania, as a member of NATO, takes all the necessary steps in accordance to the decisions taken at North Atlantic Council level to ensure the country's preparedness to contribute to the enactment of the fundamental purpose of the Alliance, namely the defence of its common space.