Moldova is sending its third troop contingent to the EUFOR Althea mission
After weeks of intensive training alongside Romanian partners, a new contingent from the National Army was deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina to maintain peace and security. The 18 Moldovan service members are part of the Republic of Moldova's third contingent for this operation.
As part of the EUFOR Althea mission, Moldovan service members will patrol their area of responsibility to monitor the security situation and protect key sites. They will operate as part of a Romanian Army battalion, alongside personnel from Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Albania, and Turkey.
"We began our training in the Republic of Moldova at the platoon level, and subsequently deployed to Romania for a five-week period. We underwent training alongside our partners from the Romanian Army," explains Vasile Procopciuc, the contingent commander.
"I don't anticipate this being an overly difficult mission, but it carries a great deal of responsibility for our country; I hope there won't be any serious incidents during the six-month deployment," says service member Mihail Pușcaș.
"For the mission we are embarking on in Bosnia and Herzegovina—which involves a peacekeeping force—we will be patrolling the city and monitoring the security situation. We are one hundred percent prepared," states service member Gheorghe Melega.
"I am happy, yet also a bit sad—my family is back home. Like any service member, we always anticipate what might come, and we are always prepared," says soldier Adrian Damaschin.
The National Army’s participation in this mission reaffirms our country’s commitment to contributing to international peace and stability.
"The service members have been selected and trained; they have conducted exercises alongside their colleagues—they know one another and are ready for the mission. I have full confidence that, just like the other contingents, they will carry out their missions successfully," said Minister of Defense Anatolie Nosatîi.
The Republic of Moldova deployed military personnel to the EUFOR ALTHEA mission for the first time in September 2024, as part of its security cooperation commitments with the European Union.
