Romania proposes law to shoot down intruding drones

Romania is considering a new draft law that would allow its military to shoot down drones unlawfully entering its airspace, depending on the assessed threat levels and risks to human life and property.

This legislative proposal, released by the Defence Ministry, highlights ongoing concerns following repeated incidents of Russian drone fragments landing within Romanian territory over the past year as part of Moscow's assaults on Ukrainian port facilities, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The draft law was opened for public debate on October 28 and outlines specific criteria for Romania's airspace management, applicable to both piloted and unmanned aircraft. Final approval will be required from Parliament after the government has reviewed the law.

The document underscores that, at a European Union level, efforts are ongoing to establish a unified strategy for managing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and implementing measures to mitigate associated risks. It notes that military operations in the Black Sea and the significant rise in UAV usage, whether military or repurposed for military purposes, pose considerable dangers near Romania's border with Ukraine.

Proposed measures for handling piloted aircraft include progressive steps: determining the aircraft's position and identity, attempting communication, intercepting, and issuing warning shots. A piloted aircraft operating without authorisation could only be destroyed if it carried out an attack or reacted aggressively to interception attempts.

For unmanned aerial vehicles, which are primarily drones, the law permits their destruction, neutralisation, or seizure based on the perceived threat level, with destruction being a last resort. Additionally, the proposed legislation allows for the involvement of allied systems stationed in Romania, in line with collective defence agreements under NATO and the EU.

Earlier this month, Romania's radar systems detected four separate signals, believed to be from drones, violating its national airspace.

By Aghakazim Guliyev