Băsescu: Romania is 'almost in a war situation' after drone downings

Former Romanian President Traian Băsescu believes Romania is on the brink of war after drone incursions into its airspace.

Băsescu analyzed three recent incidents where Romanian F-16 fighter jets downed drones entering the country's airspace. He stated that daily drone incursions, potentially carrying explosives, mean Romania is not in a state of peace but rather "a situation of risk, of military intervention."

While Romania has demonstrated the capacity to intercept individual drones, Băsescu warned that a swarm attack would require different defense solutions. "Fighting drones is not done one-on-one, it's done with a swarm," he said, emphasizing that the real test lies ahead.

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Atâta timp cât în spațiul tău aerian îți intră zilnic aeronave sau cum să le spunem la dronele astea, care pot fi purtătoare de explozibil, nu poți să spui că ești într-o situație de pace. Ești într-o situație de risc, de intervenție militară

He suggested these incidents might be Russia testing Romania's response capabilities and pilot readiness for repeated interventions. Băsescu also addressed the cost-effectiveness of using F-16s and expensive missiles against cheap drones, noting that the potential damage from a downed drone hitting civilian infrastructure outweighs the cost of interception.

Băsescu indicated that Romania might invoke Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty if the situation escalates and exceeds its capabilities, which allows member states to request consultations with allies if their security or territorial integrity is threatened.

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E absolut corect că nu e în regulă să folosești rachete de pe un F-16 împotriva unei drone ieftine. Dar, dacă te uiți la prima parte (la costuri - n.r.) și cade pe o școală, pe o creșă, pe o rafinărie, pagubele sunt mai mari...