The report of the Judiciary Committee of the US House of Representatives, which also touches on the topic of the canceled presidential elections in Romania at the end of 2024, is “wrong“ and “partisan”, said US Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen at a press conference last night in Bucharest, reported Digi 24 TV, quoted by BTA.
“The report is an ideological document, partisan, to which no one in the US defense sector publicly pays attention. "We think it's wrong and it's not based on facts and we don't pay any attention to it, so Romanians should ignore it because it's not leading anywhere, I guarantee it," said Jeanne Shaheen, the Democratic leader on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
A delegation of US senators, led by Jeanne Shaheen, visited Romania yesterday, where they met with President Nikusor Dan, Foreign Minister Oana Coiu and Defense Minister Radu Miruca. The US delegation also visited the F-16 Pilot Training Center at the Fetești Air Base in southeastern Romania.
The interim report of the US Congressional Judiciary Committee, published at the beginning of the month, has caused a wide resonance in Romania, as it questions the reasons that led to the cancellation of the presidential elections on December 6, 2024.
The report of the Republican-dominated committee is dedicated to censorship in the online space and states that the European Commission is putting pressure on social networks to censor content before elections, specifically giving examples of Slovakia, the Netherlands, France, the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Ireland, as well as the European Parliament elections in June 2024.
The decision to cancel the first round of the presidential elections in Romania has been questioned by Republicans on the committee, who note that there is no evidence of Russian interference in support of independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who surprisingly won the first round that was subsequently canceled.
The leader of the main opposition party, the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, Gheorghe Simion, used the interim report of the US commission as an opportunity to call for early parliamentary and presidential elections.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen of the Democratic Party said at a press conference last night that the majority in the US House of Representatives has a very partisan approach to all issues, “and this (the presidential elections in Romania – ed. note) is one of them“.
The senator said that “Romania is one of the strongest, loyal and important allies of the US“, noted the Digi 24 television.
“Governments may change, leaders may change, but the relationship between the American and Romanian people will continue and this I saw it today. Thanks to this partnership, NATO is stronger, Romania and the United States are stronger, and this is a very important message that we send to our rivals, especially Vladimir Putin in Russia“, said Jeanne Shaheen, quoted by Digi 24.
The American delegation, led by Shaheen, visited the F-16 Pilot Training Center in Feteşti, opened in 2023, together with Defense Minister Radu Miruca. The Romanian Ministry of Defense noted that the center at Air Base 86 in Fetești is a modern training platform that is unique at the European level and offers Romanian and Ukrainian pilots, as well as those from allied and partner countries, access to the highest level of training, meeting NATO standards.
During the meetings with the American delegation, the fundamental role of the military bases in Deveselu (where elements of the American anti-missile shield are located), Mihail Cogalnicanu (near Constanta, where American soldiers are also located) and in Campia Turzii (where there is a large air base serving NATO operations) was also emphasized.
The talks also confirmed Romania's firm commitment to a progressive increase in the defense budget, aimed at the development of modern and interoperable capabilities that will strengthen the collective defense architecture, Digi 24 reports, citing the Ministry of National Defense.