President Traian Basescu stated on Wednesday that he approved the increase of Romania's contribution in Afghanistan with a maximum of 450 soldiers next year. The troops are to perform protecting forces missions in the vicinity of the Kandahar Airport.
Basescu added that on Wednesday, at the request of the Ministry of Defense, of the Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea, the Finance Minister, Budget Minister and Prime Minister Victor Ponta he approved "a memorandum for 2015 whereby Romania increases its troops contribution in Afghanistan with up to 450 soldiers. "
"At the moment we have available for the Resolute Support mission 200 soldiers who will serve as instructors for the Afghan forces in 2015, and at the same time, through the today’s memorandum, we undertake the protection forces mission in the perimeter and vicinity of the Kandahar Airport which means 420 soldiers over the already 200 approved who, as of March 15, will begin their Kandahar protection forces mission, "Basescu announced.
The president said that in addition to the 420 soldiers, an extra 20 soldiers will be deployed in Afghanistan to provide logistics, plus a "reserve of 9 soldiers if the logistic department will have higher needs".