Dan Neculăescu takes over as foreign minister and announces priorities for defending the eastern flank and Black Sea security

Dan Neculăescu took over as Minister of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, during a ceremony held at Cotroceni Palace, and announced that he would focus from the very first day on implementing the governing program. The new head of Romanian diplomacy has 24 years of career experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the first message delivered after taking the oath, Neculăescu described the new position as both an honor and a major test and emphasized that he intends to work based on clear and measurable objectives.

Among the announced priorities are strengthening defense on the eastern flank and promoting Romania’s interests within the European Union and NATO. The minister stressed the strategic importance of the Black Sea and stated that the region must remain at the forefront of the Euro-Atlantic agenda.

The message was delivered in the context of a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at ambassadorial level, held at NATO headquarters at the request of President Nicușor Dan. Neculăescu stated that he would consistently support the need for a joint effort to ensure the security of the Black Sea and the entire eastern flank.

Read also: NATO will send additional resources to the Black Sea after drone attacks on commercial vessels