“A new Central Europe - 100 years since the creation of the first regional defense system” Conference, at Buzãu

On Wednesday, 22nd September, State Secretary for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations, Simona Cojocaru, participated in the opening works of the international conference “A new Central Europe - 100 years since the creation of the first regional defense system”, organized at Buzãu by the Institute for Defence Political Studies and Military History, Buzãu City Hall, 2nd Infantry Division “Getica” and “Mareºal Alexandru Averescu” Trust Company.

The scientific conference, which takes place over 21st-23rd September, marks 100 years since the establishment of the first alliance regional system in Central Europe, a wide political and diplomatic process which included two central pillars – the Romanian-Polish Military Alliance and the Small Scale Agreement.

The event is attended by military historians, researchers, representatives of the military and civilian institutions from Austria, The Czech Republic, Germany, France, Poland, The Republic of Moldova, Romania and Serbia. The debates allow for an open dialogue on the significance of year 1921, the officials emphasizing both the importance of regional military cooperation and the major security challenges which marked the evolution and overall dynamics of the regional interwar project.

In the opening message, State Secretary Simona Cojocaru highlighted the historical relevance of 1921 moment and the active role played by Romania in promoting cooperation and consolidating regional defence. In this respect, the official showed that the regional project developed 100 years ago , beyond its outcome, remains a model of cooperation and reciprocal support meant to offer a solution for the management of the important security issues and dilemmas of the region.

“The regional cooperation, dialogue and the tight alliance with the Western democracies remain – as they were a century ago -central coordinates that must substantiate the national and regional security and defence policy”, the state secretary said.

Constantin Toma, the Mayor of Buzãu City, Major General Corneliu Postu, Director of the Defence Staff, Carmen-Sorina Rîjnoveanu, Director of the Institute for Defence Political Studies and Military History, and Major General Dragoș Iacob, commander of 2nd Infantry Division Getica from Buzãu were some of the officials who took the floor during the conference. On this occasion, the academician Ioan-Aurel Pop, the Chairman of the Romanian Academy, sent a video message.

The editorial project entitled “Romania within the regional system of alliances in the interwar period” will be presented within the reunion. The project consists of two volumes of documents referring to the Romanian-Polish relations and the relations between Romanian and the Small Scale Agreement. The project is the result of cooperation between the Institute for Defence Political Studies and Military History, The Diplomatic Archives and the Romanian National Military Archives.

Also, three exhibitions organized by the Diplomatic Archives of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Polish Defence Ministry and “Regele Ferdinand I” National Military Museum are organized within the conference.

The Press Office