Romania is Suing a Shepherd who Refuses to Destroy Sheepfold he Built near US Military Base

Romania is suing a local shepherd who interferes with the work of US military deployed at a military base near the southern city of Deveselu, wrote the electronic edition of Balkan Insight.

Shepherd Dimitru Blaia refuses to destroy the sheepfold that is in the security perimeter around a US military base where parts of the US Air Defense System (US) are located. He built his farm there in 2007 without an official permit for it, although the piece of land is his property. The Romanian Ministry of Defense won a first-instance case against the shepherd, but he appealed the decision and in January the case is due to be heard by the Supreme Court.

Dimitru Blaia acquired the plot in Deveselu in 2007 and built his cottage there in the immediate vicinity of the military base, which at that time did not operate. Three years later, Romania and the United States reached an agreement, with Bucharest agreeing to accept the US missile defense on its territory. The base started operating again in 2016.

It is clear from the documents submitted to the Court that in the spring of this year, a local court decided that Dimitru Blaia must demolish the pens and pay a fine of 700 euros. However, he appeals and the authorities have to await the Supreme Court's decision.

The US missile defense system in the Romanian city of Deveselu cost the US over 800 million euros. It consists of 24 controllable missiles and an anti-ballistic radar.