Romania will allow ‘defensive’ US refueling and monitoring for Iran operations at its air bases, following a Parliament vote on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan asked the Parliament to approve a proposal made by the country’s top defense body, arguing that the decision is “in the interest of the country” and “for the safety of Romanians”.
The decision was finally approved with 272 votes “for”, 18 “against”, 5 abstentions, while mationalist parties did not vote.
The debate in Parliament ahead of the vote was suspended after Defense Minister Radu Miruta was repeatedly disrupted by nationalist lawmakers from the Alliance for the Union of Romanians. They booed and blew vuvuzelas.
In his address, Miruță said the move would strengthen Romania’s defense capacity.
Miruță, Minister of National Defense: “What is put to the vote is an increase in the capacity”
“Your noisy protests show an inability to understand the responsibility of making such decisions.”
Earlier, Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the agreement would allow for the temporary deployment of troops and military equipment to refuel aircraft and use defense equipment, including satellite communications and monitoring systems.
The US reportedly asked Romania to host fighter jets and troops at the Mihai Kogalniceanu Air Base on the Black Sea.
President Dan convened a meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense on Wednesday to assess “the temporary deployment of military capabilities on Romanian territory.”
Mihai Kogalniceanu is strategically important and capable of servicing a significant number of aircraft. a few hundred kilometers from Odessa and Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Spain did not allow the US to use its military bases for strikes against Iran.
Romania gov’t to discuss letting ‘US planes use Black Sea base for Iran mission’
