Sorin Grindeanu, about the incursions of drones in the Romanian airspace: “Traian Băsescu was right, we made fun of ourselves”

The president of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, declared on Sunday, on Romania TV, that former president Traian Băsescu “was right” in his criticism of the recent incursions of drones in the Romanian airspace, stating that Romania “made itself a laughing stock” by its inability to intercept them.

“I can say that on this subject he was right (Traian Băsescu, nr), that we made fun of ourselves. How is it possible that he enters through Tulcea, then makes a curve, enters Galaţi, makes that curve through Vrancea and enters Vaslui and then he settles, I saw, on a house in the Republic of Moldova, and one in a poplar tree in Vaslui. I don't think it's a good image,” said Grindeanu, quoted by News.ro.

“I'm interested in the functioning of the mechanisms. It's important to put in place the mechanisms that work, especially from the point of view of national security,” Grindeanu emphasized.

The PSD leader recalled that it is “already a month since he asked the prime minister to come to the Parliament and present a kind of x-ray that is related to national security and to tell us what the future plans are.”

“It's been a month, I understood that at the time it was a matter in which he did not want to give in. I conveyed to him and my cabinet conveyed to the prime minister's cabinet that this cannot be ignored, that we expect his lordship to convey to us a date when he comes to the Parliament at the time of the Prime Minister. It is not a matter that you can play with, no matter what your name is as prime minister”, PSD president Sorin Grindeanu also said.

Băsescu: “We are starting to be ridiculous. A country that respects itself does not turn its airspace into a boulevard for Russian drones”

Former president Traian Băsescu criticized the reaction of the Romanian authorities on Tuesday after a drone flew over Romania's territory for several hours and crashed in the town of Puiesti, Vaslui county, about 50 kilometers from the border. Băsescu stated that the state is “beginning to be ridiculous”. “Either we don't have equipment, or we didn't have the skill to use the equipment we have”, commented Traian Băsescu.

Asked what should be done in such situations, given that he has repeatedly asked for a firmer reaction, the former president stated that drones that enter Romania's airspace without authorization must be shot down.

“The story of 'we didn't want to risk shooting them down' is a story for sleeping children. A self-respecting country does not allow its airspace to be turned into a boulevard for the promenade of Russian drones,” said the former head of state.

When asked why no action was taken, Traian Băsescu mentioned “two reasons”: “Either we don't have the equipment to shoot down the drones, although I don't think so, knowing also the equipment with Gepard combat vehicles that are special for anti-aircraft combat, or we didn't have the skill to use the equipment we have in such a way as to shoot down the drones”.