The Romanian Armed Forces Celebration, October 25, offers me the privilege and the pleasant occasion to transmit my homage to all the soldiers from our Armed Forces that sincerely, devoted and patriotically wear the military suit and serve under the combat flag for Romania's main interests, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and constitutional democracy.

This day also represents a moment of solemn honor paid to our forefathers that fought and died along the centuries for defending the ideals of the Romanian nation and state.
This is why the Romanian Armed Forces history can not be dissociated from the people's history as long as the difficult moments of our existence were only surpassed by the soldiers' effective support. Thus, the liberation, October 25, 1944 of the last part of the Romanian territory from the foreign occupation is still important after a time of 60 years due to its value as a symbol for the Romanian Armed Forces and people.

Nowadays, our Armed Forces successfully continue the process of reform and modernization, raise the troops and commands level of training, capacity, and operationalization according to the requirements of interoperability with other NATO members.

Thus, Romania's participation in peacekeeping missions, missions of saving lives, crisis management and counter-terrorism, humanitarian relief at sub-regional and regional level, was, is and will be considered as an important aim of our policy of security and defence.

The presence of the Romanian military contingents in international peacekeeping missions under UN, OSCE, NATO and EU aegis is the proof that our country became one of the important suppliers of security in the region, contributing in supporting the effort of the international community in providing the environment of security and stability in the world. Our soldiers professionalism and even the supreme sacrifice in the theaters of operations have been appreciated and rewarded by the allies.

Let us pay our homage to all of them that along the time on the battlefields, in captivity or concentration camps made the supreme sacrifice.

In their memory and for Romania's benefit, prestige and prosperity, please, my dear soldiers continue to improve your level of training and education and efficiently use the armament, thus contributing to the increase of professionalism in the structures you are working. You must prove in all you are doing , in camps and shooting ranges, laboratories and classrooms, in the fight against the natural disasters and in the theaters of operations that the Romanian Armed Forces will always be our people's support in the good and bad!

This day, Day of the Romanian Armed Forces, I congratulate the entire personnel, military and civilian, reserve and retired personnel and veterans!

I wish you health, professional success and joy together with your families!

God bless the Romanian Armed Forces!

Many Happy Returns on this Day!

Teodor Atanasiu, Minister of National Defence