European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib was welcomed by President Nicusor Dan at Cotroceni Palace on Thursday.

Presidential adviser Valentin Naumescu said in a Facebook post that the meeting 'represented an opportunity to reaffirm the importance Romania attaches to the complex issues covered by the portfolio in question.'

According to the Cotroceni official, the meeting included concrete discussions on the relevance of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), demonstrated this year through the aerial evacuation of civilians during the bombings in the Middle East, with the help of RescEU flights, an instrument established in 2019 as part of the UCPM.

According to Naumescu, Hadja Lahbib handed the Romanian president a letter expressing thanks and congratulations for the way Romania had contributed to the evacuation of children and civilians caught up in crises and conflicts in the Middle East.

Naumescu brings to mind that Romania recently proposed, as part of the EU's Strategic Approach to the Black Sea, the establishment of a Black Sea Resilience and Cooperation Platform, a framework for cooperation on preparedness and civilian protection in the Black Sea region. According to him, Commissioner Lahbib expressed the European Commission's full support for the platform proposed by Romania.

President Nicusor Dan said that, during the talks, he reiterated Romania's strong commitment to strengthen the resilience and preparedness capacity of the European Union, in an increasingly complex security environment. 

 "Our priorities are strengthening resilience and preparedness in the Black Sea region, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, ensuring the effective implementation of crisis management instruments (UCPM, rescEU), strengthening humanitarian response capacity and maintaining close cooperation with the European Commission in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine," the head of state wrote on X platform.

 He added that, due to Romania's efforts, as of 31 August 2026, five children from the Gaza Strip are currently receiving life-saving treatment in Romania and Belgium. 

 More than 180 patients have been transported from the Gaza Strip, Ukraine, North Macedonia and Switzerland to other European countries, while 57 children from the Gaza Strip have received medical treatment, Nicusor Dan also wrote.

The European official will also have talks with Secretary of State Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations.

On this occasion, at the headquarters of the Interior Ministry's (MAI) General Aviation Inspectorate, the European Commissioner will be shown the ground and aerial emergency response capabilities acquired with European funds. These include firefighting vehicles and other specialist emergency response equipment, as well as helicopters, including the helicopter acquired as part of the permanent RescEU fleet, the Department for Emergency Situations said.

Hadja Lahbib will also meet firefighters who took part in efforts to combat wildfires under the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

Later, the European official and the head of the Department for Emergency Situations will hold a press conference.

According to the European Commission, the European Commissioner's visit for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management comes as Romania has played an important role this year in the European response to wildfires. Romania has sent firefighting teams to France, Greece and Serbia. In August, Romania also sent a new RescEU helicopter to Serbia, the first aircraft delivered for the permanent European fleet.

The visit aims to reaffirm the European Union's commitment to promoting equality and fundamental rights as essential elements in building more resilient, democratic and inclusive societies across Europe.

During the visit to Romania, discussions will focus on the country's important contribution to European preparedness and civil protection, as well as on challenges relating to equality and non-discrimination.

On Friday, the European official will travel to Chisinau, where the agenda will have two main components: European support for crisis management and civil protection, and equality and non-discrimination in the context of the Republic of Moldova's European path. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Ghita; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)

Photo source: www.presidency.ro