Oprea: UNPR hails president's initiative to sign agreement on allotting minimum 2 pct for Defence budget

The National Union for Romania's Progress (UNPR) president, Gabriel Oprea hailed on Monday the initiative by president Klaus Iohannis to sign an agreement with all parliamentary political parties on allotting the Romanian Army starting with 2017 a minimum 2 pct budget for the next 10 years.

Photo credit: (c) Alex MICSIK / AGERPRES FLOW

'I believe the UNPR position surprises no one. Ever since its founding, 5 years ago I said that Romania should observe its commitment it made when joining the NATO, to grant a minimum 2.38 pct. of the GDP to the Romanian army. If I'm not wrong, the first and the last time it kicked this minimum 2 pct. amount was in 2004, I believe it was 2.13 pct. The Romanian army needs this budget, especially in the current context of world, regional security, it has major endowment programmes, I would enumerate but three: the multirole aircrafts, the frigates' upgrading or the Deveselu 99 Base,' Oprea said at the Cotroceni presidential Palace, after the meeting of UNPR representatives with president Klaus Iohannis.

He added that he has proposed the president and he will propose his ruling coalition partners that the 2 pct. minimum budget for Defence should be granted starting with 2016, since 'any day won means more safety for the Romanians, the strengthening of the national security and, why not, more respect for the Romanian army within the NATO.'AGERPRES