by Cristina PastiaIn 2018, as a result of a collaboration Protocol signed by the Minister of National Defence, it has been agreed upon, among others, founding a NATO Excellence Centre for environmental protection. Moreover, OUG 50/2019 was establishing a first financing line, and HG 191/2020 was giving MApN land in that respect. Romania had the presidency of the only NATO environmental protection group, and a few countries were clearly manifesting their wish to be part of this project.
Not long ago, two events, that happened almost simultaneously, offer us the perspective of the way our Government and ministers that ended up under the sombrero by chance take on national (dis)interest. Firstly, after the recent NATO summit in Brussels, Canada’s prime minister announced his country’s proposition to establish and host, as framework nation, a new NATO Excellence Centre for Climate and Security/ NATO C&S COE. Then, a few days after, the Ministry of National Defence, led by “our” legendary Ciucă sends a letter to the Environment Minister in which he demands the denunciation of the Protocol whose main objective was founding the Excellence Centre. In his already well-known style, doctor
Ciucă does not even have the curtesy to personally sign the letter in which he demands the termination of the Protocol. This aspect, though, is rather about political elegance rarely encountered among those with no honor or morals.
Given that the Protocol and the Excellence Centre, started in the year of the Centenary of the Union, were projects of the former Government, Romanian “political tradition” says that they need to be destroyed. We, in Romania, don’t care about long-term projects, our vision is limited to the present and what benefits it brings to political clans. We buy second-hand, we manage the Occident’s debris, we are an outlet for others’ expired food, why should the future concern us?
Environmental initiatives, down the sink
Therefore, Canada will found an Excellence Centre based on a Romanian initiative, benefiting from the effort of some specialists that brought to attention the necessity to intensify efforts of integration of environmental protection in military actions. Moreover, Canada is building this Centre on the organizational structure made by a Romanian officer, following the development plan made by him and communicated on the occasion of presenting the “deceased” Romanian centre. Is anyone held accountable for losing an immense opportunity to make a stand as leaders in a field announced as being a priority by the general secretary of NATO himself? Nobody! Moreover, Ciucă is using the land the Army received by HG 191/2020 for other purposes than it was meant to.
Another Romanian idea taken by foreigners, one more project buried by Romanians, one more opportunity we lose due to incompetence. Mediocre people that are capable of vindictive reactions but are not capable to sense the potential of certain projects.
(an article by Edward Pastia)