The Romanian Constitutional Court approved a bill allowing the army to shoot down drones illegally breaching Romanian airspace, based on threat levels and risks to human life and property.
The law, voted through by the parliament in late February, went to the top court after a challenge from the ultranationalist hard-right political parties who control around a third of seats in the legislature.
European Union and NATO state Romania, which shares a 650-km border with Ukraine, has had Russian drone fragments repeatedly fall onto its territory as Moscow has attacked Kyiv’s port infrastructure.
The bill sets out specific conditions for Romania to control the use of its airspace both for piloted and unmanned aircraft.
The measures for piloted vehicles are progressive, from establishing the aircraft’s position and identity to attempting contact, interception and warning shots. They can only be destroyed if they conduct an attack or respond aggressively to interception.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, most often drones, can be destroyed, neutralized or taken control of, depending on threat levels.
Under the law, allied systems present in Romania could also participate in any action, in agreement with collective defense treaties with the NATO and EU members.
European Union and NATO state Romania, which shares a 650-km border with Ukraine, has had Russian drone fragments repeatedly fall onto its territory as Moscow has attacked Kyiv’s port infrastructure.
The bill sets out specific conditions for Romania to control the use of its airspace both for piloted and unmanned aircraft.
The measures for piloted vehicles are progressive, from establishing the aircraft’s position and identity to attempting contact, interception and warning shots. They can only be destroyed if they conduct an attack or respond aggressively to interception.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, most often drones, can be destroyed, neutralized or taken control of, depending on threat levels.
Under the law, allied systems present in Romania could also participate in any action, in agreement with collective defense treaties with the NATO and EU members.
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