Romania Plans to Bolster Army After Budget Hike

Romania's Defence Ministry presented its 2016 activity report under intense scrutiny concerning how it intends to spend its new increased budget.

Defence Minister Daniel Les said Romania's armes forces remained in urgent need of new equipment due to under-funding over several years.

In 2016, Romania bought its first F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, he noted.

He added that the army was now ready to take on new challenges in the regional context and make up for the equipment gaps that the army has experienced.

"After severe under-financing until 2012, and gradual growth since 2013, the budget of the Ministry of Defence starting from this year has reached 2 per cent of GDP, which allows us to commit ourselves to reconfiguring and modernizing the military system, which is a must in the volatile situation around the country," Les said.

NATO member countries have come under increased pressure to commit themselves to spending at least 2 per cer cent of their GDP on defence.

This pressure has increased sharply since the election in the US of President Donald Trump who complained vociferously in his election campaign about NATO member states in Europe relying on US military might and spending. 

Last year, only five of the 28 member states - the US, Britain, Greece, Turkey and Estonia - met the 2-per-cent target.

Under this pressure from both Washington and Brussels, Romania has increased its defence spending in 2017 to 2 per cent of GDP, worth 16.3 billion lei [3.6 billion euros]

 In 2016, the defence budget was worth only 1.5 per cent of Romania's GDP. Half of the new money will go on purchasing equipment for the army, Les said.

The decision to increase defence spending was welcomed by NATO secretary general Jens...

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