How Has Romania’s Economic Development Been Affected by NATO and EU Accession? Costs Incurred in the Field of National Security for Meeting the Criteria Required by Partners

The present paper analyses the manner in which the implementation of the measures assumed by Romania during the pre-accession period (NATO and EU) has influenced Romania’s economic development in recent years. In this regard, the topic is approached from the point of view that the costs requested by “partners” and supported by Romania were justified by subsequent results (such as economic development, improved national security, institutional reforms or improving Romania’s external image). To this effect, a custom analysis is developed to assess the extent to which Romania’s integration processes into the Euro-Atlantic structures have affected the further economic development of the country in terms of costs for securing the Romanian state, with effects that can be witnessed to this day. In the research undertaken in this paper, the social, economic and political conditions existing in Romania and in the states in its immediate vicinity during the pre-accession period are also taken into account in order to highlight the positive effects generated by NATO and EU accession on all levels (especially economic and security/geopolitical). Thus, it is demonstrated that Romania, as a member of the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union, acting in a security space based on common values, interests and objectives, on the principles and norms of democracy, the rule of law, and the market economy, has enjoyed favourable conditions for its accelerated economic and social development. From a security viewpoint, the terrorist actions/attacks carried out in recent years in European countries were not critical to Romania, but only aimed at the material destruction, political destabilization, and damage to European markets. However, the measures implemented by Romania are accompanied by a low level of trust in public institutions, meaning that all future actions of the Romanian state must take into account this vulnerability. At the same time, Romanian authorities need to understand that transparency and consultation with the public and partners are important in order to find the best ways to address threats and implement international measures.