First 40 Romanian firefighters depart for their summer mission in Greece

A group of 40 firefighters from Romania's national forest firefighting module departed for Greece on Thursday as part of their mission to support Greek authorities in their fire monitoring and suppression program. The initiative, led by the General Emergency Management Inspectorate, aims to enhance the efficiency of response times during forest fire incidents, streamline the coordination of intervention units among European Union member states, and foster improved interoperability among participating forces.

Minister of the Interior Catalin Predoiu, present at the farewell ceremony, commended the firefighters, recognizing them as a role model for other European nations.

"To our esteemed rescuers and colleagues, today you embark on a new mission in Greece under the European Civil Protection Mechanism. This is yet another testament to your professionalism, unwavering dedication, and the compassionate nature you have exhibited in previous missions. Through your efforts, you have saved lives, assisted people in need, protected property, and brought honor to both your profession and the Romanian Ministry of the Interior. We are immensely proud of you, and we have complete confidence in your abilities, as do our friends in Greece and the European institutions. You not only inspire our nation but also serve as an example to other European countries, as you contribute your scientific knowledge, expertise, unwavering commitment, and the tremendous courage that you have displayed and that has been witnessed by our entire country and Europe in recent years," Predoiu expressed.

During the summer of 2022, Romania dispatched multiple firefighting teams to combat the forest fires that ravaged Greece.