VIDEO // Prime Minister: Moldova must invest in country’s security and strengthen capabilities of National Army, despite limited budgetary resources

The Republic of Moldova must gradually invest in the country’s security and strengthen the capabilities of the National Army, despite limited budgetary resources. The state must treat defense as a priority, increase the attractiveness of a military career, and address the personnel shortage. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan made the statement at a TV show.

The official noted that the Republic of Moldova’s neutral status does not rule out the need to strengthen its defense capabilities, while national security must become a priority area for investment.


“I am glad that, at long last, the issue of security is being treated seriously. For too long, we have considered security something self-evident. We are a neutral state, but that does not mean we must be a country that does not know how to defend itself. At present, Ukraine and its resistance are our main source of security. We all understand that, if it had not been for the heroism of Ukrainian soldiers, the Republic of Moldova would no longer exist in the form it does today. We must gradually invest in our security, with the limited funds we have. To put this into perspective, we traditionally spent around 0.35% of GDP on defense. This is probably one of the smallest shares in the world. We are gradually increasing this share, largely thanks to donations from our external partners. But, finally, I believe we have realized that security is not something self-evident, but an area in which we must invest,” Vasile Tofan emphasized.


Referring to the draft law on approving the general structure and personnel strength of the National Army, Vasile Tofan stressed that strengthening defense capabilities must be accompanied by solutions to overcome the shortage of military personnel and increase the attractiveness of a military career.


“Parliament has an obligation to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. This is an obligation that must be taken seriously. I believe that, regardless of political affiliation, it is important for everyone to understand the risks to our security and the challenges we face. Indeed, at present there are situations in which we have equipment, because our partners are helping us, but we do not have enough soldiers to operate it. Therefore, we have a personnel crisis in the army, because for too long the army was treated as a secondary concern. Gradually, we must make military service and a military career more attractive. Today, to put this into perspective, a beginner soldier receives less than 10,000 lei. Obviously, it is very difficult to recruit soldiers into the army. We also face major budgetary challenges, which is why we cannot overspend. Nevertheless, we must gradually strengthen our armed forces. We must not forget that, in addition to Russia, we also have a conflict right here, and a foreign state continues to maintain troops on our territory,” he noted.


The prime minister emphasized that the Republic of Moldova must develop its monitoring and air defense capabilities, as the rapid evolution of military technologies requires investment in modern equipment to detect and intercept drones.


“The challenges are very significant. First of all, investments have been made in radars. We can monitor these drones, so we have this capability. There is still work to be done in this area, but, for the most part, we have made significant progress. At present, we do not have interceptors. However, do not think that this is such a simple matter. Today, interceptor drones cost around 1,500–2,000 euros. Technology has advanced greatly. But you realize that, in order to invest in interceptors, we must also invest in other tactical equipment so that we can coordinate them. This war is evolving very rapidly. For example, modern Russian jet-powered drones flying over us cannot be intercepted even by the most advanced interceptors, whether they are from Ukraine or other countries. Therefore, we must also understand the limits of the capabilities we have. For this reason, I cannot provide an answer that would fully reassure society,” Vasile Tofan said.


He also emphasized that the authorities are working to assess and prepare shelters for crisis situations, as well as to increase protection at border crossing points, where risks have grown against the backdrop of Russian attacks on Ukraine.


“A great many measures are being taken, including by the Crisis Management Center. An inventory of all shelters has been carried out, and we know which shelters are available. Some of them are functional, while others are not, which is why work is underway to clear them. Among the most urgent problems are incidents at the border, as the Russians are bombing border crossing points on the Ukrainian side in order to disrupt logistical chains. This also endangers our citizens and Border Police employees. Among the practical measures we have taken is the transfer of control to our territory at points where it was previously carried out on the Ukrainian side. We have also built shelters at border crossing points. We must understand that we are operating within a very austere budgetary framework, with limited resources and very high demands on the budget. With little money and a great deal of work, we are trying to strengthen the shelters at border crossing points as well, because the greatest risks are there,” Vasile Tofan concluded.


The Ministry of Defense announced that eight incidents involving violations of the airspace of the Republic of Moldova were recorded between October 3 and 9 this year, amid attacks by the Russian Federation on Ukraine. Five of them resulted in explosions on the ground.

Since the beginning of this year, 57 incidents involving violations of the country’s airspace have been recorded, while from 2022 to the present, their number has reached 94. Last night, a drone illegally flew through the national airspace and exploded outside the built-up areas of Geamăna and Văratic in Anenii Noi district.

The authorities urge people not to approach or touch any drones, missiles, or fragments thereof if they are identified. Such cases must be reported immediately to the competent authorities by calling 112.