The national security and defense strategy

1. INTRODUCTION; DEFINING THE NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS

The Romanian Law states that Romania’s National Security Strategy is “the basic document that substantiates national defense planning”. The Strategy is therefore the political illustration of the fundamental attributes of the Romanian state in this field.

The System of National Security defines the assembly of means, regulations and institutions of the Romanian state that play a part in achieving, safeguarding, and asserting Romania’s fundamental interests.

In my opinion, the Strategy represents the basic document that defines these interests, as well as the objectives for their achievement, and materializes the political expression and highest level settlement of the Romanian State, and at the same time, the instrument for substantiating and directing the actions within the whole system of national security.

Issued, therefore, the present Security Strategy ensured the necessary coherence with the previously adopted programmers for Romania’s integration into the North-Atlantic Alliance and into the European Union.

At the same time, the present Security Strategy is deeply marked by current developments, by the realities of the Romanian society and throughout the world, as well as by short – and medium – term foreseeable perspectives of domestic and international life.

In this respect, the novelty of the National Security Strategy is a wider opening to these issues and a wider approach to the concept of national security, in the circumstances of the increasing complexity and diversity of the aspects that have become relevant in this area.

Romania’s national interests represent those states and processes, based on the values assumed and pursued by the Romanian society, by which it ensures the prosperity, protection and safety of its members and the stability and continuity of the state.

In the pursuit of its national interests, Romania will follow the principles of international law, will develop the dialogue and cooperation with all international organizations and states interested in achieving stability and security.

2. OUTLINING THE OBJECTIVES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SAFEGUARDING AND ASSERTING THESE INTERESTS

The National Security Strategy sets the following objectives:

- maintaining the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Romania, under the specific conditions of NATO membership and EU integration;

- guaranteeing the constitutional order, the building of the rule of law and the democratic functions of the Romanian society by means of: safeguarding the democratic freedoms of citizens, the constitutional rights and obligations, and equality of opportunities; improving the political system and developing the means for ensuring social solidarity; deepening justice reform; consolidating the authority of state institutions and building up the law enforcement mechanisms;

- reviving the national economic recovery, overcoming poverty and unemployment; streamlining the mechanisms of market economy and the financial discipline;

- developing the civil society and the middle class;

- ensuring the stability of financial banking system and social balance;

- streamlining the law-enforcement agencies; protecting the safety of the citizen;

- optimizing the national defense capability in keeping up with the NATO standards;

- improving the capacity of participating in international operations for combating terrorism and organized crime;

- improving the health of the population and child care and developing the education, research and cultural institutions;

- reforming the public administration and regional development in agreement with the European practice and provisions;

- harmonizing inter-ethnic relations and building up the civic multicultural state, based on the guarantees of security, social participation, intercultural integration and the principle of subsidiary in the governing act;

- diplomatic actions moves and a creative dynamic and pragmatic foreign policy, based on the observance of the international treaties and international agreements to which Romania is a Romania's National Security Strategy signatory, as well as respect for the goals and principles of the UN charter;

- diversifying and strengthening ties with Romanians living outside the national borders;

- active participation in actions of international cooperation aimed at fighting terrorism and cross border organized crime;

- developing the good-neighborly relations and participative conduct at the regional level, for building up stability and resolving crises;

- ensuring environmental security;

- the engagement of the civil society in carrying out the objectives of the security strategy.

The realization of these objectives will contribute to the social modernization of the Romanian society and speed up the resolution of the major problems it has to face. It will also implement and protect national interests, and ensure the national security of the country and its citizens.

3. ASSESSING THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ENVIRONMENT

The onset of the XXI-century has been marked by profound changes of the security environment. The world has become ever more complex and interdependent, and globalization has asserted itself as an irreversible process.