Exercise Planned by NATO in Romania Delayed Due to Inability to Update Infrastructure of Road Network by Authorities
Title: NATO's Dacian Spring 25 Faces Delays: It's a Mess, Mate!
Story:Listen up, folks! The NATO exercise, Dacian Spring 25, was supposed to go down in Romania, simulating the country's defense. But here's the kicker - local authorities failed to modernize necessary infrastructure, including roads and bridges, before the planned event in May 2025.
Originally set to take place from May 5-25, the Romanian defenses had to shape up their roads for their troops to move around smoothly. The Ministry of National Defense made the call back in July 2024, sending a plea to the Ministry of Development, Public Works, and Administration.
"Between May 5, 2025 and May 25, 2025, military exercises will take place on national territory with the participation of allied countries. The analysis of troop deployment locations and of the infrastructure that will be used during the exercises, carried out at the level of the Ministry of National Defense, led to the conclusion that part of the access roads to/from these locations require rehabilitation/consolidation works so that they allow the movement of heavy equipment," the Ministry said, as reported by Europa Libera.
The Ministry of National Defense pinpointed several issue-prone roads, such as:
- A dirty road connecting county road 104J and an access point to a location in Făgăraş.
- A road connecting DJ 104A and a location in the commune of Șinca (Brașov County), with three culverts needing repairs, two of which are a right mess.
- A connection between DJ 7C and a location in Cârțișoara (Sibiu County).
- A segment of 13 Decembrie Street in Brașov Municipality.
In the July 2024 letter to the Ministry of Development and Public Works, the Ministry also mentioned that military units maintaining these roads had long requested their repair.
Yet, guess what? Local authorities balked at footing the bill, stating they didn't have the funding sources to carry out the proposed work, as noted in a document that reached the Chamber of Deputies, summarizing the official correspondence on this matter.
What's more, Dacian Spring 25 is a big deal! This exercise was meant to bring the NATO Battle Group in Romania, led by France, to brigade level. This meant France had to bring an additional 2,000 troops to Romania, along with troops from other NATO countries, putting the total at over 4,000 troops.
Just one month after the first letter from the MApN to the Ministry of Development and Public Works, ambassadors from NATO allied states with troops in Romania, including France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, sent another letter to the Development Ministry, highlighting a stuck bridge impeding the smooth functioning of NATO troops.
Similar calls from the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs followed, and the army explained that these roads would be indispensable for NATO missions in the long run.
After a series of delays, the second Marcel Ciolacu Government adopted an ordinance in late January 2025, granting the Ministry of Development the funds to repair the roads, culverts, and the bridge needed for military vehicles.
In early April 2025, Europa Libera asked the Ministry of Development for an update on the status of the requested works, but the current minister, Cseke Attila, reported that only the bridge in Sighișoara was contracted and underway, while the repairs requested by the MApN for the roads were still on the back burner. The minister explained that the local authorities were dragging their feet, moving at a snail's pace, which is frustrating for everyone involved.
Finally, the exercise was rescheduled for the fall, and French officials told Europa Libera that the delay was requested so that the exercise wouldn't clash with the presidential election campaign.
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(Photo source: Ministerul Apararii on Facebook)
- The NATO exercise, Dacian Spring 25, initially planned for May 2025 in Romania, faces delays due to the lack of modernization of necessary infrastructure, including roads and bridges.
- The Ministry of National Defense highlighted several problematic roads for the exercises, such as a road in Făgăraş with a dirty access point, a road in Șinca (Brașov County) with three culverts requiring repairs, a connection in Cârțișoara (Sibiu County), and a segment of 13 Decembrie Street in Brașov Municipality.
- Despite military units requesting the repair of these roads since July 2024, local authorities initially balked at footing the bill, citing a lack of funding sources.
- The exercises, intended to bring the NATO Battle Group in Romania to brigade level, were rescheduled for the fall of 2025 due to infrastructure issues, apparently to avoid clashing with the presidential election campaign. This rescheduling follows a series of delays and ongoing debates about funding for road repairs.
