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.
Cambridge School of Bucharest (CSB) has been shortlisted for the Student Mental Health Initiative of the Year category in the Tes Awards for International Schools 2025, becoming the only school in Romania to appear on this year’s shortlist. The nomination recognises CSB’s pioneering, student-led approach to promoting well-being across the Secondary School and reflects the […]
The Romanian Film Festival UK (RFF25UK) begins this week with a program showcasing a selection of new and archive Romanian feature films, documentaries, and shorts. The festival will open with the UK premiere of Traffic, Romania's 2026 Academy Awards entry. The film is directed by Teodora Ana Mihai from a screenplay by Palme d'Or–winning filmmaker […]
The government is preparing a major overhaul of state-owned companies, deputy prime minister Oana Gheorghiu announced on Monday, November 24, unveiling plans for a unified registry and initial reforms targeting 10 key enterprises. According to her, Romania currently has 1,502 state-owned companies, including 230 at central level and 1,272 under local authorities. Among central entities, […]
Two Romanians reportedly forced open an emergency exit and ran after the plane that was preparing to take off for Bucharest from Cologne, southwestern Germany, on Friday, November 21. The two, aged 28 and 47, were late for boarding, at which point they broke an emergency window and activated a button to open a secured […]
NOËL, the longest-running designer gift fair in Romania, will hold its 16th edition on December 13–14 at Unirea Shopping Center in Bucharest. The event will feature more than 100 designers presenting handmade and curated gifts, including unique pieces, capsule collections, and seasonal items. The fair will host creators from Romania as well as artists from […]
Romania will celebrate its National Day on December 1 with a large military parade in Bucharest featuring Romanian and allied troops. The event will also showcase an extensive display of military equipment and aircraft at the Arch of Triumph. More than 2,900 servicemembers and specialists from the Ministry of National Defense, Interior Ministry, Romanian Intelligence […]
