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Ioan Mircea Pascu, minister of National Defence delivered the following speech during the festivities organized today at the Ministry of National Defence:
Mister President,
Prime Minister,
State Secretary,
Generals and officers,
Honored audience,
One of the first things I came in touch when I took the first civil post in the Romanian Armed Forces after the WW II, in March 1993 was represented by the end of different military careers. I confessed I was impressed and I continue to be impressed every time I am participating to such moments according to the requirements of my position. For instance, two weeks ago I participated to the last military honor for Admiral Gregory Johnson quitting the command of the South Flank of the Alliance.
I was wondering what happens deep inside a military heart in that moment after years of military school, posts during the military hierarchy and the missions fulfilled, all that ending with a last pass through the people he commanded till few moments ago? So, this moment I wonder what happens deep inside General Mihail Popescu, at the end of a prestigious military career that ends with a successful mandate in front of the Romanian General Staff, a mandate started as a candidate and finished as NATO full member. These words synthetically express an indisputably reality. Inevitably, they represent a long and complex way the Romanian Armed Forces made in the last years. A way of reform that at the end indicates the landmarks already engaged with our allies from NATO.
The end of this military career coincides not only with a moment of festivity, of protocol, of decoration of the fighting flag of the General Staff but also with a moment of revision. So, this is an adequate opportunity to review not only the achievements of this period of time, and they are not few, but also the unfulfilments, the things to be improved. In his speech, General Popescu approached both of these categories of aspects. He was and continues to be a man of team. A man that knows what the division of responsibilities means within the leadership of the Ministry of National Defense. A man who always had the courage to assume the responsibilities for his decisions. A man who observed the golden rule of a team work, and that is all the important decisions should be taken in consensus by the leading team of the institution. For all these, I am convinced that our political life, the Parliament will only gain in electing the new politician Mihail Popescu to whom I wish success in his new career outside the military system.
In this context I want to underline a thing. General Popescu decided to quit his post as chief of General Staff according his own mind. He is an example with a value of symbol that I want not to pass over in an environment without established rules. Let us hope that till the stipulations of a future normative act, this example will not rest a singular one and will not be forgotten.
As his successor in command of the General Staff, General Eugen Badalan to whom I wish success in his important mission receiving today, it is worth to say that he is the commander with the greater experience in command from the entire Romanian Armed Forces. We hope this thing will conferee him the authority necessary to end the continuation of the military reform and the full integration within the Alliance. A reform that has to include among others the achievement of the full integrated structure -joint type – so that at the end of his mandate the position of the chief of the Romanian General Staff could be occupied also by the chiefs of the Air or Navy as other NATO members do. More to his experience in command, the nominalization of General Eugen Badalan as chief of the Romanian General Staff is important for the continuation requested by the logic of the process of reform the Romanian body is traversing now.
In the end, I would like to thank to the two Generals for their activity in the positions they had till now and wish them good luck in their future positions.
As for retired General Mihail Popescu he must not be as surprised as his brilliant forerunner Wellington who became Prime Minister after a long and successful military career that annoyed got out the Cabinet and declared to his co-worker “I don’t know what happens to these people I said them what to do and they are still discussing”.
Thank you for your attention.
MoND Press Office