The joint standing bureaus of the Chamber and Senate took note on Tuesday of President Klaus Iohannis' letter informing Parliament that he approved the participation of Romania's Army in EU's maritime security operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES and asking approval for the participation of Romania's Army in PROSPERITY GUARDIAN (OPG) coalition-type maritime operation.In the document, Iohannis brings to mind that amid the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the intensification of the actions of the Yemeni rebel group Al-Houthi against targets and interests related to Israel, including the commercial maritime traffic in the Red Sea, the security situation in the area of the Yemeni coasts and the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait has constantly deteriorated, with negative repercussions on the European and world economy.In this context, the president added, on 18 December 2023, the United States of America took action against the Al-Houthi rebels by launching the PROSPERITY GUARDIAN (OPG) coalition maritime operation and called on the international community to get involved in resolving the security situation in the Red Sea by participating with staff and naval capabilities and by intensifying information exchange.At the same time, on 29 January this year, the European Union took steps to launch an operation to ensure freedom of navigation in the context of this crisis, in close cooperation with PROSPERITY GUARDIAN. To this end, the Crisis Management Concept for a new maritime operation, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, has been approved with the objective of protecting maritime security on the main shipping routes in the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, international waters of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.Operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES was launched on 19 February at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union.The president mentions that he approved, after consultation with the Supreme Council of National Defence, the participation of the Romanian Army in EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, in order to ensure freedom of navigation in the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, the international waters of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, starting in 2024, with up to five military."Also under the provisions of Article 7 para. (2) of Law no. 121/2011 on the participation of the armed forces in missions and operations outside the territory of the Romanian State, as amended and supplemented, I request the approval of the Romanian Parliament for the participation of the Romanian Army in the PROSPERITY GUARDIAN (OPG) coalition maritime operation, under US command, in the area of responsibility in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the territory of Bahrain, starting in 2024, with up to three military. The participation of personnel in this operation, within the command deployed on the territory of Bahrain, will be done after the legal status of the Romanian military on the territory of this state has been regulated. The financial funds necessary for the participation in the missions are provided from the budget allocated to the Ministry of National Defence in 2024," reads the president's letter, which was sent to the parliamentary defence committees.
Romanian deep-tech startup .lumen, the developer of what it says are the world’s first AI-powered glasses for the blind, has secured a new investment from EIT Urban Mobility, the European innovation community focused on advancing sustainable and inclusive urban mobility solutions. The value of the new funding round was not disclosed. The investment aligns with […]
The health spending per capita in Romania was the lowest in the EU, with spending less than half the EU average in 2023, the recently released report, State of Health in the EU - Romania Country Health Profile 2025, shows. At the same time, life expectancy in Romania is 5.1 years below the EU average, […]
Romania’s annual inflation rate stood at roughly 9.8% in November 2025, similar to October, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Food prices increased by 7.6% last month, while services rose roughly 11% and non-food goods climbed 10.7%. The consumer price index rose by 0.42% in November compared with October, while […]
Three French soldiers deployed in Romania as part of NATO’s Multinational Battle Group at Cincu intervened to save a truck driver following a serious traffic accident on the A3 Bucharest–Ploiești motorway, the Romanian Ministry of Defense said. The incident occurred earlier this week as the soldiers were traveling toward Ploiești and witnessed the truck crash...
Eight contemporary art galleries will present the works of the artists they represent at the third edition of the Smallest Art Fair in Town, an event dedicated to works on paper. This edition showcases works “investigating the state of wandering, disorientation, and rediscovery in the face of uncertainty.” Under the title In Dark Woods, A […]
Parents everywhere are asking an important question: What skills will truly prepare a child for a world defined by rapid change, global uncertainty, and the rise of artificial intelligence? For decades, schools focused entirely on academics. Today, research from neuroscience, performance psychology, and leading universities shows a different reality: The students who thrive long-term are […]
