The Minister of National Defence Gabriel Oprea and State Secretary Mihail Vasile-Ozunu participated in the opening ceremony of the academic year organized at the 'Carol I' National Defence University on Monday, October 4.

In his speech addressed to the professors and students of the university, the defence minister said: 'Romanian military holds its heroes in high esteem and will never forget the ones who paid the ultimate price. Romanian soldiers are always on duty, whether at home or in the theaters of operations – fighting international terrorism, sacrificing their lives for the honor of the country and peace for their children. Their sacrifice is a reminder of the fact that soldiers do not just have a job but a most important mission only the bravest can pledge, only the dignified, only the patriots '.

The defence minister sent a message to the effect that 'We need graduates able to meet the professional requirements of their future working places. Moreover, we need troops able to deal in a professional manner with the difficult situations they will face in their military career, in missions in the theaters of operations\'.

'As defence minister but mainly as a military man, I wish to congratulate you for the choice you made for a military a career. By joining the Romanian Armed Forces you chose not a profession, you committed to a mission, as meritorious as it is difficult. You pledged to a responsibility that comes with the duty to be well trained, well educated and last but not least to be the future leaders, men of action, dynamic, ready to make good decisions ', the defence minister said to the students.

He continued by encouraging the professors of the university to make use of the entire range of modern educational tools, creativity, other resources that would develop the spirit of independence, courage and responsibility in their students.

Ceremonies marking the opening of the academic year were organized in Bucharest at the Technical Military Academy and the Military Medical Institute 'Carol Davila', in Sibiu at the 'Nicolae Balcescu' Land Forces Academy, in Brasov at the 'Henri Coanda' Air Force Academy, in Constanta at the 'Mircea cel Batran' Navy Academy as well as in military schools and service training centers across the country

MoND Press Office