The Minister of National Defence, Mircea Dusa, and the chief of General Staff, Lieutenant-General Stefan Danila, participated in the ceremony organized on Tuesday, 8 January, to mark the deployment of the 2nd 'Yellow Scorpions' Maneuver Battalion to Afghanistan.

'It is an elevating moment here, in Timisoara, where over 500 brave troops of the Romanian nation, a proud and dignified nation, are about to deploy to Afghanistan, the most dangerous place in the world. They pledged themselves to this responsibility, proud of being Romanian, with the dignity of the soldier who does his duty when the nation asks him to, defence minister Mircea Dusa told the audience.

Minister Mircea Dusa conveyed a message to the troops who deploy to Afghanistan to the effect that he will support them and he will see that they have the necessary conditions to accomplish their missions: 'we, Romanians, and especially me as defence minister, simply have to do outstanding efforts so that you have the necessary material and financial conditions to accomplish your missions. As defence minister I wish you now, a day before your deployment, may you return safely home and I wish you to be in good health, to be successful and, as we are at the beginning of a new year, I wish you the traditional Happy New Year!'

The ceremony was attended by representatives of local and county authorities, and institutions of the national defence system, families and relatives of the 2nd Yellow Scorpions Maneuver Battalion troops.

The troops of the 2nd Yellow Scorpions' Maneuver Battalion will carry out missions in their area of responsibility in Zabul Province, for six months. They will ensure a secure environment, appropriate for the transfer of responsibility to Afghan forces.

MoND Press Office