IAR Brașov workers protest loss of military helicopter contract

Labor unions at IAR Brașov have launched protests following the announcement that the Romanian Government has chosen a foreign supplier for a military helicopter procurement contract. According to union leader Suba Arpad, this marks the first time since 1969 that the company has lost such a contract, despite its long history of manufacturing and maintaining the Romanian military's helicopters.

Union members expressed frustration that while Romania is spending approximately 16.8 billion euros on armaments, domestic production is being bypassed in favor of foreign corporations. They also raised concerns regarding internal management, noting that the number of leadership positions at IAR has tripled in less than three months.

In response to the unrest, MEP Gheorghe Piperea has called for investigations by DIICOT and parliamentary defense committees. Piperea criticized the lack of transparency regarding financial commitments made through the European SAFE program, alleging that massive loans spanning 45 years were assumed without rigorous parliamentary debate. He further argued that offset mechanisms intended to integrate Romanian factories into international production chains remain unfulfilled.