Order For Merit

National Order for Merit Ordinul Național Pentru Merit
Officer's Medal of the Order
Awarded by The President of Romania (since 2000)
Type	Order of Merit
Ribbon	Pale Blue with a White stripe in the middle.
Eligibility	(1) Civil, military; (2) military units; (3) foreign citizens
Awarded for	Special services rendered in the interests of Romania.[1]
Status	Currently awarded
Grand Master	President Klaus Iohannis
Grades (w/ post-nominals)	Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer
Established	31 March 2000[1]
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of Faithful Service
Next (lower)	None (Lowest)
Related	National Medal for Merit
The Grand Officer's ribbon bar of the Order

The National Order For Merit (Romanian: Ordinul Național Pentru Merit) is an order which is part of the National System of Decorations of Romania.

Composition of the order

The National Order for Merit is awarded in five grades in civil and military divisions, as well as a wartime division. It may be awarded to Romanians, foreign citizens, and military units. Its number is limited to 7,500 members. Members of the order are referred to as Knights of the Order for Merit, regardless of grade. Awards to foreigners, awards to military units, and awards in the wartime division are not figured in the total number under the order's limits. Awards are limited by grade and division as follows:^[2]

• Grand Cross, 150 civilian and 50 military
• Grand Officer, 300 civilian and 100 military
• Commander, 675 civilian and 225 military
• Officer, 1,500 civilian and 500 military
• Knight, 3,000 civilian and 1,000

Criteria

The National Order for merit recognizes important civil or military services rendered to Romania. Qualifying important services may include:^[2]

• Safeguarding the independence, sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity of the Romanian State
• Developing the national economy
• Accomplishments in the fields of science, art, or culture
• Contribution to the development of relationships between Romania and other countries or international organizations
• Meritorious military service organizing and managing military operations
• Deeds committed on the battlefield or during military conflicts

Notable recipients

• Marek Belka^[3]
• Valentina Butnaru^[4]
• Mark A. Meyer^[5]
• Mihnea Motoc
• Raymond T. Odierno^[6]

References

External links

• "Chancery of Honours" (in Romanian). Retrieved 20 October 2012. 
• "Regulament privind descrierea și acordarea Ordinului Național Pentru Merit" (PDF). MONITORUL OFICIAL AL ROMANIEI (in Romanian). Retrieved 20 October 2012. 
• "Chancery of Honours". ADMINISTRAŢIA PREZIDENŢIALĂ - CANCELARIA ORDINELOR (in Romanian). Retrieved 5 December 2014. 

Romanian National Decorations System
National decorations[a]	Orders Order of the Star of Romania Order of Faithful Service Order For Merit Crosses Cross of Faithful Service Medals Medal of Faithful Service Medal for Merit
Commemorative decorations	Order of Victory of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989 Commemorative Cross of the Second World War, 1941-1945 Commemorative Cross of the Anti-communist Resistance Commemorative Medal "150 Years from the birth of Mihai Eminescu"
Peacetime military decorations	Orders Order of Military Virtue Order of Aeronautical Virtue Order of Matitime Virtue Order of Valour and Faith Medals Military Virtue Medal Aeronautical Virtue Medal Maritime Virtue Medal Valour and Faith Medal
Civil decorations	Orders Agricultural Merit Order Cultural Merit Order (categories A to I)[b] Diplomatic Merit Order Industrial and Commercial Merit Order Educational Merit Order Medical Merit Order Athletic Merit Order Medals Agricultural Merit Medal Cultural Merit Medal (categories A to I)[b] Diplomatic Merit Medal Industrial and Commercial Merit Medal Educational Merit Medal Medical Merit Medal Athletic Merit Medal
Wartime military decorations[c]	Orders Order of Michael the Brave Order of the Star of Romania Order of Faithful Service Order For Merit Order of Military Virtue Order of Aeronautical Virtue Order of Maritime Virtue Order of Valour and Faith Medical Merit Order Crosses Cross of Faithful Service Medals Medal of Faithful Service Medal For Merit Military Virtue Medal Medal of Aeronautical Virtue Medal of Maritime Virtue Medal of Valour and Faith Medical Merit Medal
Honorific signs	Eagle of Romania Reward for the Work in the Public Service In the Service of the Country (officers) In the Service of the Country (warrant officers)
^ The peacetime military insignia added: two crossed swords (tip up) between the sign and the link if awarded to military personnel in peacetime ^ The categories are equal in ranking, and differentiate only the cultural field (A - literature; B - music; C - fine arts; D - performing arts; E - national cultural heritage; F - promotion of culture; H - religious cults; G - scientific research; I - architecture) ; ^ The war insignia added: two crossed swords (tip up) behind the sign (except for Order of Michael the Brave, an order exclusevely for military personnel with exception conduct in wartime or warzones)