Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu said that the ministry headed by him will keep within the budget approved at the beginning of the year, moving amounts between various budget chapters in order to make do.
„For the National Defense Ministry, the situation isn’t that bad, we have found solutions at the budget revision to cover the ministry’s needs and priorities. Unfortunately, this is an inherited situation. I know, it doesn’t sit well to talk about a serious inheritance, but this is the reality. You have also seen the statements of the Fiscal Council: this year’s budget was a rather fanciful one, because it overestimated revenues and reduced expenses. The budget of the National Defense Ministry included some hard-commitment expenses. (…) All in all, we will manage to keep within the budget approved at the beginning of the year, we’ll move various amounts between budget chapters, in order to cope with this complicated period,” Mosteanu told a press conference at the Victoria Palace.
He specified that, according to the plans agreed with military allies, Romania would need 120,000 professional soldiers, but the current civilian and military personnel total 80,000 people.
„In the plans agreed with the allies, there is a target of 120,000 professional soldiers, which would be absolutely sufficient to cover the needs of the army, as defined in the defense strategies agreed with our allies. (…) At the moment we are over 80,000, if we include both civilian and military personnel. It all depends on the people’s willingness to join the army, on how attractive we make this for Romanian citizens, on how attractive we make the military service for them, and on budget appropriations,” said Mosteanu.
Budget appropriations in the field are set to increase by 2035 to 3.5% for strict defense spending and 1.5% for related spending, he said.
„Speaking of the army’s size and equipment, this involves significant spending. Spending will increase by 2035, as agreed with the allies at the Hague Summit, to 3.5% for strict defense spending and 1.5% for related spending. This is what we established with our NATO allies and we are moving in the same direction,” the minister said. AGERPRES
