The professionalism demonstrated by Romanian servicemen in theatres of operations over the years has been the foundation of military trust and cooperation with NATO allies, Minister of National Defence Radu Oprea said on Wednesday.

He attended a military and religious ceremony organised by the Ministry of National Defence (MApN) at the Monument to the Heroes who fell in Theatres of Operations and on Romanian territory, in Tineretului Park.

'In operational theatres, you served alongside servicemen from partner countries and made joint decisions on which the safety of your fellow soldiers depended. Through the professionalism and sense of responsibility with which you carried out your missions, you earned the trust of our allies and partners. This trust remains a cornerstone of military cooperation today, including in missions to defend Romania and strengthen security on NATO's Eastern Flank,' Oprea said on the occasion of Veterans of Theatres of Operations Day.

The minister expressed his deepest respect for those wounded in theatres of operations, stressing that support for them must continue throughout their professional and social reintegration.

'The Ministry of National Defence has a responsibility to ensure that you have access to the rights and forms of support to which you are entitled,' Radu Oprea emphasised.

According to the minister, the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine continues to affect security in Romania's neighbourhood.

'In this context, Romanian and allied servicemen are jointly carrying out air policing missions and missions to protect national airspace. (...) Within NATO, the allies have reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence. For Romania, this commitment means strengthening national defence capabilities and preparing to act alongside our allies, including in the Black Sea region,' Oprea said.

State Counsellor Sorin Cirstea also attended the ceremony in Tineretului Park, where he delivered a message on behalf of President Nicusor Dan.

'Dear veterans of theatres of operations, you embody military honour, the spirit of sacrifice and unwavering commitment to Romania. Through the missions you carried out with professionalism under the most difficult circumstances, you demonstrated that wearing the military uniform means, above all, responsibility and loyalty to one's country. You have contributed to international security and the strengthening of peace by protecting populations from conflict in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Western Balkans and other regions where Romanian servicemen have put Romania's international commitments into practice,' the head of state said in his message.

He urged veterans of theatres of operations to make the most of their experience and the lessons they had learned, and to become involved in training new generations of servicemen, in order to develop Romania's defence capabilities and national resilience.

'You have represented the tricolour flag with dignity and demonstrated that our country is a reliable ally, a respected partner and a state that fulfils its responsibilities within NATO, the European Union, the United Nations and the wider international community. Your professional experience and the lessons learned in theatres of operations are particularly valuable in the current international context, as war has returned to our continent and security threats have multiplied,' the president added in his message. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Alexandru Florea; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)