The Republic of Moldova will increase the Defense budget in 2023 by about 70%
The Republic of Moldova will increase the defense budget next year by about 70%. This is determined by the security threats faced by the Republic of Moldova, a country that is right on the border of the war caused by Russia in Ukraine, reports Radio Chisinau, according to Rador.
Expenditures for the “National Defense” sector in Rep. Moldova will grow in 2023 by almost 70% compared to 2022 and will constitute 0.5 percent of GDP, Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi announced at the annual European Integration Forum held in Chisinau.
According to the minister, the budget increase is welcome, but insufficient for the current needs of the Republic of Moldova, which would currently amount to approximately 2% of GDP. The Minister of Defense, Anatolie Nosatîi stated that “the additional resources needed for 2023 will be directed towards strengthening the protection of the airspace of the Republic of Moldova”.
Anatolie Nosatâi also said that the external security threats are primarily the war on the territory of Ukraine.
Internally, there are threats related to the Transnistrian separatist regime, the presence of Russian troops and the warehouse in Cobasna. We cannot neglect the risk of triggering an internal conflict, by forces interested in destabilizing the situation, the minister also said.
A week ago, Chisinau authorities opened a criminal case after rocket fragments fell near the town of Briceni, near the border with Ukraine. Previously, another missile fell on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, after it was shot down by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense in the city of Naslavcea, also near the border with Ukraine. At the beginning of October, three Russian missiles flew over the territory of the Rep. Moldova during a Russian attack on neighboring Ukraine.