President Traian Basescu Delivers Lofty Speech On Romanian Navy Day

Basescu said the Navy Day is Men’s Day and the day of all those who know how to cherish the values of friendship and the national flag of Romania. The head of state went on saying that the consolidation and modernization of the Romanian Naval Forces continue with a view to efficiently support NATO-led operations.

He also spoke about the economic crisis, which, he reiterated, can be overcome through solidarity. He added that Romania has managed to register a slight economic growth, but underscored that Romania must continue to cut excessive public spending.

In his speech, Basescu also called for solidarity and asked each and every Romanian to accept to make sacrifices in times of crisis, the way the Romanian Navy troops did.

The Romanian Navy Day has been celebrated since August 15, 1902, when the then-mayor of the Black Sea port of Constanta decided that this should become a local celebration, to attract tourists and highlight the seafaring skills of the marines. The modern Romanian Navy was founded on October 22, 1860 under a decree signed by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza.