Gabriel Oprea, the Minister of National Defence, met with his counterpart from the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Vitalie Marinuta, in Iasi, on June 4.

The talks that took place at the 15th Podu Inalt Mechanized Brigade focused on matters related to bilateral military cooperation projects, as mutually agreed upon during the minister's previous visit to Bucharest, in March 2010.

The defence ministers analyzed the stage of the Basic Agreement on military cooperation of the two ministries. Minister Oprea said that a draft Government Decision was drawn out on the donation Romania would make to the Military Institute of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova. The donation consists of didactic materials.

The two defence minsters, accompanied by His Holiness Teofan, Metropolitan Bishop of Moldova and Bucovina, met with war veterans from the Republic of Moldova and Romania. On behalf of the President of Romania, minister Oprea awarded Medalia Virtutea Militara clasa I (Military Virtue Medal, 1st Class) to seven war veterans of the Republic of Moldova 'as a token of appreciation for their devotion in accomplishing the tasks assigned in the Romanian Armed Forces during WWII'.

The medal was awarded as provided by the Presidential decree, to 41 war veterans from the Republic of Moldova.

'We have the moral duty to be equally grateful to the war veterans of the Republic of Moldova who fought in the Romanian Armed Forces as we are our own war veterans. Today's event stands proof of that as it was organized to bring homage to the brave deeds of our comrades beyond Pruth River' defence minister Gabriel Oprea declared.

The minister reassured the veterans of Moldova that the Romanian Ministry of National Defence is open to dialogue and cooperation, which is exactly why a delegation of the Federation of reservists and war veterans Associations of the Republic of Moldova was invited in Romania to visit the national war veterans and reservists associations, from June 9 to 11.

During the ceremony organized at the Military Club Iasi, the Romanian defence minister awarded Emblema de Onoare a Armatei Romaniei (Emblem of Honor of the Romanian Armed Forces) to Mr. Vitalie Marinuta 'as a token of gratitude and appreciation for his efforts to promote good relations between the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian Armed Forces'. The same distinction was awarded to the Metropolitan Bishop of Moldova and Bucovina ' in recognition and appreciation of his missionary and publicist activity conducted at home and abroad for promoting the image of the Romanian Armed Forces'.

The defence minister met with troops of Iasi garrison with whom he discussed the quality of life and training and reassured them of the efforts the ministry is making in order to find solutions to social problems troops are facing during these times of economic hardships.

MoND Press Office