The Arsenalului Square in downtown Bucharest, which is located close to the headquarters of the Romanian Ministry of Defense, is to be turned into the NATO Square – a public space dedicated to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Defense minister Gabriel Les made the announcement on Sunday, April 7, at the ceremony marking the NATO Day in Romania.

“We have decided, together with the prime minister, to take the steps to set up a public space open to everyone, which will be dedicated to the North Atlantic Alliance, the organization we’ve joined on April 29, 2004. The best place we’ve identified for this purpose is not far from here (e.n. the HQ of the Defense Ministry), is called Arsenalului Square, and we want to turn it into the NATO Square,” Les said, according to local Mediafax.

The minister explained the choice by saying that Arsenalului Square “reminds of the beginnings of the defense industry in Romania,” as this is the place where the first weapon factory of modern Romania operated.

Gabriel Les also said the proposal will be materialized by the end of the year.

In Romania, NATO Day has been marked from 2005 on the first Sunday of April.

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