Nicolae Ciuca

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Friday said that President Klaus Iohannis has no quality to lengthen mandate of the Chief of Staff's head, specifying that the decree announced by the president of Romania does not observe the legal conditions and triggers the premises of a constitutional judicial conflict.

President Klaus Iohannis on Friday stated after the meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) that he signed a decree by which he prolonged the mandate of General Nicolae Ciuca as Chief of Defence Staff, specifying at the same time that the proposal made by the Minister of Defence, Gabriel Les, was rejected.

Romania's Defence Minister Mihai Fifor on Monday welcomed UK ambassador to Romania Andrew Noble to discuss Romanian-UK defence co-operation, according to a press statement released by the Defence Ministry (MApN).

Fifor and Noble emphasised NATO relations as well as current European affairs at their meeting at the MApN headquarters.

The pilots of a military aircraft that crashed in Bacau County on Monday have been rescued alive, spokesperson for Bacau Emergency Inspectorate (ISU) Andrei Grecu told AGERPRES.

"Yes [they were rescued]. They are alive," Grecu said.

Several intervention, extrication, and first aid crews were sent to the scene after the crash was announced in an emergency 112 call.

A IAR 99 Hawk aircraft crashed in Bacau County on Monday and the pilots managed to eject.

"There is indeed an IAR 99 Hawk aircraft that has crashed in Bacau. Specific procedures have been started in such situations. The pilots were able to eject and now they are being searched for," Defence Minister Mihai Fifor told Realitatea Tv in a phone-in.

Romanian Senate on Tuesday will open for three days, April 17-19, the first Parliamentary Summit of the Bucharest Format (B9).

The event was co-organized by the Romanian Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, together with the Marshal of the Senate of the Polish Republic, Stanislaw Karczewski.

Defence Minister Mircea Dusa and Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Nicolae Ciuca will attend the live fire tactical exercise SEEBA-15 on Thursday morning, the Distinguished Visitors Day at the firing range of Babadag.

Photo credit: (c) Luisiana BIGEA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

National Defence Minister Mircea Dusa in Bucharest on Tuesday will meet Admiral Mark Ferguson, Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, during the latter's two-day visit to Romania, at the invitation of General Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Nicolae Ciuca, informs a press release of the National Defence Ministry remitted to AGERPRES.

National Defence Minister Mircea Dusa at the National Defence Ministry (MApN) headquarters on Thursday received German armed forces Chief of Staff, General Volker Wieker.

The Ministry of National Defence celebrated by a military ceremony the NATO Day in Romania on Sunday, and also declared a Doors Open Day.

Photo credit: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Defence Minister Mircea Dusa, Romanian Army Chief of Staff General Nicolae Ciuca and other officials of the ministry attended the event.