Constanta Port, Rail-2-Sea and Via Carpathia, key projects for regional security

National defense was one of the main topics during April, especially since on the last day of the month a new meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense convened by interim president Ilie Bolojan took place.

Before convening the CSAT, in early April, interim president Ilie Bolojan organized a meeting at Cotroceni Palace with representatives of the national defense industry, the Government and the unions, during which the European ReArm/Readiness 2030 Plan was analyzed. This plan, launched by the European Commission, aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of member states, reduce dependence on strategic imports and stimulate domestic production through massive investments and innovative financial instruments. Romania, benefiting from a defense industry with tradition and potential, aims to capitalize on these opportunities by accessing European funds, especially the new SAFE mechanism, which offers advantageous loans with extended grace periods. Ilie Bolojan emphasized that these funds will not only increase the country's military capacity, but will also contribute to economic development through technology transfer, attracting investments and creating jobs. The adopted strategy aims to both strengthen military capabilities and modernize military mobility infrastructure, with a direct impact on civilian mobility. Projects such as Via Carpathia, Rail-2-Sea and connecting the Port of Constanta to European networks are key components of this effort.

This integrated approach was also reiterated at the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Warsaw, which took place in late April and where the interim president of Romania advocated for strengthening North-South connectivity, essential for regional security. In parallel, energy development - through nuclear and gas projects - completes the picture of a Romania that aspires to strategic autonomy and actively contributes to European security.

At the meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense on April 30, measures were adopted regarding the increase of the defense budget to 3.5% in the coming years, the modernization of the legal framework and the updating of the national military mobility plan. Romania has committed to increasing the defense budget at a sustained pace, until 2030, assuming a role as a stable contributor to the security of NATO's Eastern Flank.

The importance of the financial component is obvious: Ilie Bolojan firmly supported the need to access the European credit - SAFE, with preferential interest rates and long-term repayment, emphasizing that this is the only sustainable option that does not compromise other budgetary priorities, such as health, education or infrastructure. In addition, Romania aims to direct a significant portion of these funds to the national industry, stimulating public-private cooperation and integration into European production chains.

At the same time, the updating of defense legislation and the inclusion of unfinished hydropower plants in the category of national security projects underline the pragmatic and intersectoral approach of the new defense strategy. Energy security, military mobility, critical infrastructure and technological innovation are no longer treated separately, but integrated into a coherent vision of national development and protection.

All these measures adopted in the CSAT aim at a profound transformation in the defense field, in which strategic vision, budgetary responsibility and European opportunities converge towards a common objective: a safer, better prepared and better integrated country in a Europe of defense.