NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Romania for its considerable contributions to Allied security and said that NATO would defend Romania against any threat.

“NATO counts on Romania, and Romania can count on NATO,” Stoltenberg said during his visit to Bucharest on July 2.

He met with Romania’s President and Government members and visited the new NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) in Bucharest, one of six small headquarters being set up across the eastern part of the Alliance to facilitate planning, exercises, and potential reinforcements in case of a conflict in the region.

This is one of the two NATO centers that will operate in Romania, according to the decisions of the NATO summit in Wales in February 2015. The investment in setting up the center was some EUR 3.6 million, according to Romania’s Defense Minister Mircea Dusa. The unit will have 42 people, 27 of which will be Romanians, and will start functioning this fall.

Romania has increased its defense spending and is ready to take on a more important role as part of NATO in maintaining the security in the region, according to Romanian officials.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: presidency.ro)