The Mihail Kogălniceanu base has returned to the center of public debate following remarks by MEP Rareș Bogdan, who maintains that the decision allowing the United States to use the military infrastructure at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base does not involve Romania in the war in the Middle East and does not justify alarmist scenarios regarding the country’s possible entry into a conflict. In his remarks, Rareș Bogdan stresses that the fears circulating in the public space are unfounded and that the discussion should be placed within the real framework of Romania’s strategic commitments.
According to the MEP, the American and allied military presence on Romanian territory should not be seen as a threat, but as a security guarantee. In this sense, the presence of U.S. and NATO bases represents not only a military advantage for the Romanian state, but also a factor of confidence for the business environment and for potential investors interested in Romania’s stability. In his statement, Rareș Bogdan said clearly: “As long as you have American and NATO bases on your territory, you have a security umbrella for all Romanians. This is also a guarantee for those who want to invest in Romania.” In the same line of argument, he added that Romania must honor its commitments to its Western partners, including when they request the use of already existing military infrastructure.
Another central point of his remarks concerns the legal framework which, in Rareș Bogdan’s view, already clearly governs the possibility of the Mihail Kogălniceanu base being used by the American side. The MEP argues that this is not a new legal basis and that an older agreement, signed between Romania and the United States as early as 2005, already allows for such use. His statement was explicit: “There is a document signed in 2005 between the Romanian state and the United States under which the Americans can use the Kogălniceanu base at any time. From my point of view, there was not even any need for a new approval.” At the same time, Rareș Bogdan welcomed the fact that the matter was nevertheless discussed within the Supreme Council of National Defense and later voted on in the Romanian Parliament, considering this institutional validation useful, even though, in his view, the legal framework was already in place.
Criticism of Narratives That Fuel Public Panic
Rareș Bogdan also voiced direct criticism of those speaking about an alleged “danger of war” for Romania, arguing that such messages generate unnecessary panic in society. In his view, presenting these developments as proof that Romania could be drawn into the conflict in the Middle East is a dangerous exaggeration that distorts the public’s understanding of an issue related to security and strategic cooperation. His message was unambiguous: “No one is coming to attack us, and we are not entering any war. Those who stir up this issue are irresponsible.”
In the same intervention, the MEP also advanced another argument intended to calm such fears: in his view, the geographic distance between Romania and the conflict zones should in itself be enough to temper anxieties about any direct threat. Although this point was not delivered as a direct quote, the idea was clearly present in his public remarks and forms part of the same line of reasoning: Romania is not in a situation that would justify public hysteria or speculation about an imminent military threat.
Beyond the strategic and legal dimensions, Rareș Bogdan also raised the issue of public communication. He believes that Romanian authorities should explain more clearly and more frequently the decisions related to security, military cooperation, and relations with Western partners. In his view, it is not enough for such decisions to be taken through institutional channels; they must also be explained publicly in order to counter disinformation and reduce unjustified fears in society. In this regard, Rareș Bogdan argues that political leaders, including the president, the prime minister, and members of Parliament, should speak more often in public precisely to clarify the nature of such decisions and to prevent them from being turned into instruments of manipulation and panic.
The underlying message conveyed through this intervention is clear: in Rareș Bogdan’s view, the use of the Mihail Kogălniceanu base by the United States falls within the logic of the strategic partnerships already assumed by Romania and does not amount to the country entering a war. His argument rests on three clear pillars: the security value of the American and NATO presence, the existence of the 2005 bilateral agreement, and the need for firmer public communication in order to counter voices which, in his opinion, are deliberately fueling panic.
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