DefMin Ciuca on Military Paratroopers Day: Integrity, tenacity, flexibility and teamwork - defining benchmarks

Operativity, integrity, tenacity, initiative, flexibility and teamwork represent defining benchmarks of the military paratroopers, says Defence Minister Nicolae Ciuca in a message sent on Wednesday, when the Romanian Army celebrates the Military Paratroopers Day.

"The qualities due to which you rightfully came to be considered the elite of the Romanian Army will be the main advantage in reconfirming your performance indicators and professionalism, in fulfilling the missions that are entrusted to you, both on the national territory and in the theaters of operations, together with our allies and partners, under the aegis of NATO and the EU," said the Minister, according to a press release of the Ministry of National Defence (MApN).

He said that the military paratroopers are part of the elite forces of the Romanian Army.

June 10, 2020 marks 79 years since, through the enforcement of Decree-Law No 93/1941, the first parachute company was established within the Aeronautics Training Centre based in Popesti-Leordeni, under the command of aviation lieutenant Stefan Soverth.

An elite military branch that emerged in World War II, military paratroopers would contribute to the success of defending the northern part of Bucharest (Baneasa and Otopeni) after August 23, 1944, when many paratroopers died. The years following the end of the war brought significant developments in the strengthening and assertion of parachute troops in the armed forces of our country.

In this context, the Ministry of National Defence mentioned the remarkable contribution made by paratrooper general Grigore Bastan to the development and modernisation of the Romanian military parachuting, in the second half of the last century.