Extremely well-placed sources in the NATO area have indicated to SpotMedia.ro that, at this moment, 30 out of the 32 countries of the organization are on Mark Rutte’s side for the position of Secretary General.
Despite the messages systematically conveyed by Romanian diplomacy, completely detached from reality and somewhat confusing for those who take them seriously, especially after Turkey’s quite clear stance, President Iohannis’ chances of reaching the top of NATO, small from the beginning, have practically become null.
And the allies are determined that there is no need for a new extension of Jens Stoltenberg's mandate, so the decision regarding his successor will be made in the shortest time.
In practice, due to President Iohannis's personal and selfish ambitions, Romania has now made an embarrassing alliance with Viktor Orban, Putin's ally in the EU and NATO. It has, as noted by G4media.ro, sparked irritation among the allies.
President Iohannis's attitude, in a rational, natural political key, is absolutely incomprehensible.
You wanted, you took the step, you even pushed for it, creating a new model, a precedent, by announcing not only the intention, but also the competition for this position. You tried, so to speak, to test the waters.
Furthermore, you highlighted an important issue for the eastern flank.
But after making yourself understood, considering that the chances are obviously dashed, after even the largest European and American publications have shown you that the path is closed, it is incomprehensible to continue to block the alliance, which creates tensions, projecting something that the alliance based on unity and solidarity should never project, especially with war at the border.
And, as I have repeated, President Iohannis is not blocking the alliance on a personal level, as it would have been to his benefit in case of success, but in the name of Romania, which as a state accepts or rejects a candidate. Romania is being pushed alongside Putin's European protégé to hinder NATO.
And Romania really had no reason for such a rebellion, as NATO's Deputy Secretary General is Romanian, and it is a major and absolute beneficiary of security, although the actual defense expenditure, on a budget execution basis, not on planning, is far below what is claimed, that is, 1.6% of GDP instead of 2.5%.
There are now over 5,000 NATO troops in Romania, half of them American. Starting next year, NATO will have the largest base in Europe in Romania and will deploy 10,000 troops here.
What does President Iohannis expect?
For Viktor Orban to receive a substantial price, which I have no doubt he will negotiate fiercely, and for Romania to remain absolutely alone in opposition to NATO for its president's ambitions?
It is certainly difficult for President Iohannis to admit defeat, at least before being able to invoke another success, for some European position. Yes, he is rumored for the EC presidency, he was rumored for the Council presidency, but on a list of potential names, where he is far from standing out as a top favorite.
This certainly raises the question: how professionally was the venture towards the top of NATO analyzed, especially in the name of Romania?
Most knowledgeable commentators could not take into account that he ventured without having certain guarantees, some support. History has shown that he didn't have them, which means a dangerous amateurism.
No matter how unrealistic, the hypothesis that President Iohannis may climb further on an external branch has increased his internal political power, over the coalition. So much so that even the presidential elections were moved, including to align with his external plans.
With this aura, he also tries to impose his successor, to lay out the post-mandate political cards.
If he fails, he will remain, finally, a simple president in the last days of his mandate, the most difficult and irrelevant in the course of a double term. And no matter how hard he tried to avoid this moment, it will come, all the more abrupt and harsh the higher the expectation he created to delay it.