Romania will send a little over 2,000 soldiers abroad in 2013, 300 fewer than in 2012. Around 500 of them will be soldiers or police who will take part in missions under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), European Union, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations (UN) coordination. Romania allotted over 140 more people to these operations, according to the Presidency. Most of the soldiers will be part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, while some will also be sent to the Western Balkans military missions- Kosovo, Bosnia - Herzegovina, as well as at NATO's Active Endeavour operation in the Mediterranean Sea. A group of 10 Romanian soldiers will also be sent to Mali, for the European Union training mission in 2013.

The president recently held his regular Superior Defense Council meeting, where the new plan was approved, together with a plan to check the state of Romania's people, economy and territory for defense purposes. This will consist in exercises and mobilization in 2013.

Romania's army is based on voluntary service, with the mandatory service being suspended in 2007. End 2011, Romania's Defense Ministry- MAPN had a staff of over 74,000, according to the Ministry.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: MAPN)