Arrogance of Paris questions the participation of the Naval Group in the Romanian program for “multifunctional corvettes”

By Constantin Radut
The Ministry of National Defense (MApN) has not yet decided on the acquisition of the four multifunctional corvettes. Today, Minister Gabriel Leş said that in a “maximum two or three weeks” he could make a decision. stupefaction: Gabriel Les says the decision could be to announce a winner or to cancel the procedure.
In January, the MApN suspended the acquisition of four multi-function corvettes and modernization of the two Type 22 frigates of the Naval Forces. The officials in the ministry announced in January that they filed a criminal complaint with the Military Prosecutor’s Office after information leaked in the press about the prices offered by the three remaining competitors. According to that information, Naval Group and Constanta Shipyard (SNC) offered the lowest price, followed by Dutchmen from Damen and Italians from Fincantieri.
“I was asked if the information leaked in the press is correct and I said yes, that’s the price order. I did not prejudgment. The tender criteria for such a contract are not just those that strictly regard the lowest price. Other criteria are the technical characteristics, with a 30% weight in decision making, the integration of the Romanian manufacturing industry with a 40% share, and so on, “Gabriel Leş said in a press conference held on Thursday.
“At this point we still have no solution, but the term is very short until we come up with one. I had a discussion at the Ministerial College and with the Secretary of State for Armaments within the ministry. It will come in the short term with a solution. I hope it’s two or three weeks. We will announce the solution, “Les said.
“We will see what it will be like, it is an auction commission made up of specialists and they will come to say what the solution is,” the minister added.
Asked whether the solution could be either announcing a winner or canceling the auction, Gabriel Leş replied: “Of course!”.
MApN decided on 11 January to suspend the procedure for the purchase of corvettes following the filing of a criminal complaint on the Military Prosecutor’s Office on grounds of irregularities, but also because the procedure was challenged in court by one of the competitors: Constanta Shipyard. Meanwhile, Naval Group and SNC withdrew the court appeal.
The sources close to the field show that the delay by the Ministry of National Defense of the Naval Group / SNC qualification decision for the corvette program has several causes. First of all, there is no Government-to-Government (G2G) type communication in general and, in particular, in the military and arms supply of Romania. In general, France’s attitude towards Romania is one of arrogance and ignorance of a close strategic partnership. While the US is making visible efforts to deliver as many equipment and know-how in Eastern Europe, France appears to be affected by the Eastern Europe (including Romania) – US relationship.
Although Bucharest had great hopes of relaunching the bilateral relations with the establishment of the Macron regime, it seems that Paris remains embedded in the Mitterand and Hollande’s policy of underestimation of Romania as the main French-speaking country in Central and Eastern Europe.
In the economic and military spheres, the arrogance of Paris also threatens solid partnerships developed decades ago, even in the time of the communist regime led by Nicolae Ceausescu.