Defence Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu, met on Wednesday, 7th July, at the MoND Headquarters, with the Bulgarian Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, as part of the visit the Bulgarian official is paying to Romania, over 6th-8th July.

The cooperation relations between the two armed forces achieved a very good level, being based on a tight collaboration at allied, European, regional and bilateral levels. The talks focused on the increased participation in joint training activities, development of the two states' commitments in the field of regional security and consolidation of NATO assurance measures in the Black Sea area.

During the meeting with the defence minister, there was an exchange of opinions on the security situation from the Black Sea region, the two officials expressing their conviction that Romania and Bulgaria have common goals and are interested in enhancing the dialogue with regard to the collaboration relations within NATO and EU, as well as in improving the defence bilateral relations. In this context, minister Ciuca saluted the level of bilateral military cooperation with Bulgaria which may consolidate regional stability and increase the training level of the two states' soldiers.

The agenda of the chiefs of defence included meetings with the command teams of the HQ MNBG SE, 8th Tactical-Operative Missile Brigade, 282nd Armored Brigade as well as the visitation of certain static displays of armament and combat equipment of these units. Also, the two officials participated in the inauguration of the new stadium of the Army Sports Club Steaua Bucuresti.

Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu appreciated that the solid participation of the military personnel of the Romanian and Bulgarian Land Forces in exercises Strike Back 21, Steadfast Defender 21 and Defender Europe 21 achieved a good cohesion of the troops. The constant cooperation in the Blue Bridge type training by executing Air Policing Missions at the frontier led to the increase of interoperability between the two countries air forces. The collaboration between the two military navies, substantiated by the participation in the annual multinational exercises Poseidon, Sea Shield, Breeze, as well as in Operation NATO Sea Gardian contributed to the increase of the capacity to ensuring maritime security, improvement of early warning system and integrated implementation of the counter-terrorist measures in the naval system.We are still open to the increased number of training activities within the Allied Joint Training Program in order to improve the joint reaction capability. As neighboring and allied states, as well as riverine to the Black Sea, our goal is to ensure stability within this region. Bilateral cooperation as well as within EU and NATO are solid landmarks in ensuring the required regional security climate. Offering support to the allied defensive capabilities deployed on national territories demonstrate the conlucration will of the two armed forces in order to have a deterrence and defence posture on NATO's South-Eastern Flank, lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu stated.

As part of the visit, Admiral Emil Eftimov had meetings with the Bulgarian soldiers manning the multinational structures from our country. The visit agenda also includes meetings with the command teams of HQ MND SE and 74th PATRIOT Regiment.

The Press Office