Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed on Monday, December 29, the decree for appointing three-star Lieutenant General Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca  as Chief of the Romanian General Staff as of January 1, 2015, according to a statement of the Presidential Administration.

Ciuca, 47, has been serving as head of the General Staff of Romania’s Land Forces since January 2014. He has led Romanian troops in international missions in Angola, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The current Chief of General Staff is General Lieutenant Stefan Danila, who took over this position on January 1, 2011.

The Chief of General Staff is the highest military authority in the Romanian Armed Forces. He is appointed by the President, at the National Defense Minister’s proposal, with the approval of the Prime Minister, on a four-year period, with the possibility of one year extension.  The Deputy Chief of General Staff or one of the Chiefs of the Services can be appointed in this position.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com