Will Colonel Dragne be Changed from Command, after the Intervention at Moftinu Gas Intervention?

Around 2016 I was writing, much to the dissatisfaction of many, that, since 2011, the commanders of the military firefighters were being changed like socks, the Service thus witnessing the harshest period of INSTABILITY in its entire history.

The Service is being affronted by politicians

I was showing back then how the officers were taking their turn at the command of the Romanian firefighters, being rapidly changed, after short periods of time, ranging from several months to a year. The peak moment of the defiance of the firefighters by the politicians occurred when a Gendarmerie general was appointed at the command of the Service. The same defiance and superficiality with which those who were ministers treated the firefighters since 2011: the institution with the highest credential among citizens.

A year ago, on February 4th 2017, colonel Daniel Dragne was appointed at the command of the firefighters. Although his managerial skills recommended him, I had my own doubts regarding his efficiency on the incandescent front. I expressed those suspicions publicly. After almost one year, the intervention at Moftinu showed us a new side of the appointee inspector general. It was an extremely nice surprise to discover real qualities from a commander who works shoulder to shoulder by his team, with no show-offs, but open, and being a true comrade. Respect!

Dragne, “rewarded” by being removed from the command after the intervention at Moftinu????

Rumour has it that minister Carmen Daniela Dan did not want colonel Dragne as the commander of the Romanian firefighters. And she is not the only one. Some say not even Dr Arafat wants the man with whom managed the absorption of so many European funds. Apparently, soon, colonel Daniel Marian Dragne, the one who led the team at Moftinu and took whole responsibility for this extremely difficult intervention, will be replaced. The reasons would be interesting to know…The thing with “the management improvement” does not hold any longer. For Dragne, whether we like it or not, exceeded himself on all levels.

And the excuse of “end of appointment” does not stand. For a minister who respects the subordinated structures, as we have so numerously seen in the show-offs on media channels and Facebook, should have no interest in destabilizing a structure by changing a commander under whose hand the efficiency was on the rise.

As for Raed Arafat, why would he want the person, whom he so dearly used to call “Daniel” at the press conferences at Moftinu, be changed? I shall not insist on other persons close to the Doctor who, down the ages, if the situation asked for it, ended up being thrown into the lion’s den. We hope this is not a habit…

Rumour market

On various blogs, the rumour market has broken out. Various names, some better known than others, are being speculated. True that there is not much to choose from. Many chief inspectors have already been appointed for half a year, a year. Others have gloriously retired, fed up with the system and determined to avoid the bit they would have been forced to wear, willing to enjoy the fat pension.

Three names caught our attention: colonel Apostol Emil from ISU Giurgiu, who is beyond any reproach and is too loved in Giurgiu and too earnest to be willing to embark on such an “adventure”. Colonel Cosmin Balcu from ISU Sibiu who caught the attention of the media on the “sympathy for the Rroma ethnic group” in the scandal of 2015. Another name would be that of general Dan Iamandi from ISU Iași to whom we wish good health and to whom an intervention similar to that at Moftinu could seriously endanger his condition.

Unless someone might want to appoint a Gendarmerie general willing to earn a star or a Customs colonel willing to retire as firefight general.

The Inspector general is APPOINTED - according to Decree 80

The fact that the position of inspector general has not been announced is even more speculated on the rumour market. This could be a sign that, after so many years, minister Carmen Daniela Dan will be the first one to respect the regulations of the military personnel statute. The old Decree 80 says something like this regarding the appointment of a Service commander:

“Art. 77. -

Military personnel on service can be detached to other units in order to accomplish missions or to follow some training courses over a period of at most one year, which can be extended by approval of the minister of Defense, up to two years at most.

Over the period of detachment, the military personnel keep their positions and the military units from where they were detached and benefit from all legal rights.

Art. 78. -

The appointment and the release in the military units, except for public positions where the appointment is carried out according to law, as well as the detachment of the personnel according to art. 77, are carried out during war or peace times, according to the qualifications set by order of the minister of Defense.”

So, be it peace or war, the commander of a Service is APPOINTED, not sent to take exams. For that matter, the habit of opening the inspector general position came in 2013, and most certainly not by Decree 80.

We hope that the current minister of the Interior proves she is not member of a party only concerned with changing the law and not with its enforcement.

Against all plots, the intervention at Moftinu continues

If it wasn’t tragic, it would be comical. While some concoct plans of replacing the commander of the firefighters, colonel Dragne is facing the blaze at Moftinu for the 19th day in a row, on January 5th 2018. What can we say. The gas drill does not care about conveniences.

At the present writing, the firefighters intervene for the protection of the team of drillers who assessed the situation at stake in order to set out a strategy to capture the gas efficiently and safely. The drillers get into the blaze, and the firefighters under colonel Dragne’s command are the ones doing everything they can not to turn the intervention into a disaster. Moreover, since Wednesday afternoon, on January 4th, the drill at Moftinu started to throw out large amounts of water, which put out the flame. The firefighters are closely monitoring the area for when the drill might yet again release gas, thus having the chance to reignite it under control and avoid any explosion.

We wish our boys good luck and congratulate both them and their commander on their sacrifice to spend the winter holidays away from their families, thus watching over their fellowmen so that they could have peaceful holidays.

What does the year 2008 bring to the Romanian firefighters?

There are two possibilities: either a well deserved acknowledgment, or yet another slap on their faces.

These devoted men, from small to high-ranking, were on the front line of this extremely dangerous intervention. Their commander, colonel Dragne and his team of specialists, did not move away from Moftinu since December 19th 2017, not even during holiday season. Even though the teams had periods of rest, by changing one another, colonel Dragne was the man who was present there day and night at Moftinu, making all the calls during the intervention. Any mistake would have had a single responsible person: the inspector general.

The procedure of the intervention brought the respect and admiration of the Canadian drillers towards the military firefighters. These experienced drillers put out more than 500 drill fires and their gratitude expressed publicly elevates Romania as a country through the effort of the Romanian firefighters at Moftinu, under one command.

Do they fully deserve our gratitude? Most certainly.

We stated in one of our articles that at Moftinu, the firefighters experienced a feeling of unity and stability after so many years. After too many years. The unreasonable replacement of the inspector general after such a victory on the incandescent front would be yet another sign of instability through the absence of a steady commander and a blow for the working men. Yet another unfortunate proof that in Romania work and sacrifice are mere trifles for group interests.

The decision belongs to the minister, obviously. With all due respect, we express our trust in the fairness and empathy which she always expressed towards the firefighters. We hope that everything we wrote about in this article could prove to be nothing but unfortunate rumours spread by individuals who neither love their country nor the firefighters.