President to consult with political parties on Army’s 2 pc financing starting 2017

President Klaus Iohannis informed on Tuesday he would initiate consultations with the parliamentary parties in the view of closing an agreement that would ensure a minimum threshold of 2 pc out of GDP for Defense that could be maintained for at least ten years. “One of the priorities of my term for the upcoming period is to find solutions for increasing the Defense budget. I will initiate consultations with the parliamentary parties to close a political deal in the view of ensuring a minimum threshold of 2 pc for Defense starting 2017. Moreover, I propose to all ruling and oppositions political agents to clearly assume the maintenance of this minimum target for at least 10 years so that we can predict military expenses, especially when it comes to training and strategic facilities programs,” the Romanian President told the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief of Staff, lieutenant general Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca.

“I will not accept that the future Government, no matter who is leading it, to transgress the financing assumed for the Army,” the head of state also mentioned.

Iohannis further stated that no ally could guarantee our security unless we manage to do that by ourselves. “We must be a regional security generator, not only a mere beneficiary of the alliances system that we are part of,” the President added, pleading for consistency in the foreign and security policy and for continuity of the strategic partnerships with NATO, EU and USA.

Also attending the swearing-in ceremony, PM Victor Ponta said that the idea of ensuring a proper financing for Defense is very correct and that all policy makers should have the obligation of understanding that security couldn’t be served for free. “I am glad that President Iohannis as well makes a top priority of it,” Ponta pointed out. He also presented a chart showing that the former Cabinet has decreased the Defense budget during 2009 and 2011, expressing hope that European Commission officials should allow Romania to grant an extra 0.3 percent of GDP to the Army, resulting in EUR 500 M.

In another train of thoughts, the premier recalled that the atmosphere was “cold” at the Defense Ministry’s meetings during Traian Basescu’s term, saying that now, with Iohannis, things got “much warmer.”

Political sources told Mediafax on Tuesday evening that consultations between President Iohannis, and leaders of the parliamentary parties will take place at Cotroceni Palace on Monday, starting 10 a.m.