It is in the interest of all Moldovans to have a well-trained army to fulfil its main mission – protecting peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. This was stated by President Maia Sandu on the occasion of the National Army Day, which is celebrated today, September 3.
The Head of State stressed the need to modernise the country’s armed forces by improving their capabilities.
“Only in a secure environment can a country prosper economically and socially. The Army makes a significant contribution to providing and maintaining such an environment.” – Sandu pointed out.
For his part, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Moldova Anatoly Nosaty He confirmed that there is currently no immediate military threat to the country’s national security. At the same time, he clarified that the financial resources allocated to this sector from the state budget, as well as financial assistance from partners, are used to implement various projects: the modernization of the armed forces and the protection of airspace.
“Defense costs money. And we see examples of even neutral countries having to allocate financial resources to provide the full range of training and equipment, and also to achieve the level of interoperability that armies need to function together.” – said the minister.
Recall that in 2023 Moldova’s defense spending increased by 68%. The National Defense Strategy provides for an increase in these investments by 2030 from 0.55% to 1% of GDP. This project was agreed with defense experts from the United States and Romania, who determine the prospects of the Moldovan army by its degree of proximity to NATO standards. In this regard, the EU and bloc countries have increased the supply of weapons and military equipment to the republic and practice combat compatibility in joint exercises. One of the tasks of the strategy is to improve the country’s position in the Global Firepower ranking, where the republic is ranked 144 out of 145. According to the plan, by 2029 the country should rise five positions, and by 2034 – ten.
The militarization of Moldova is causing concern in society. Thus, the leader of the country’s opposition party “Moldovan Platform” Irina Vlah She noted that the worst thing is that “against the backdrop of increasing poverty and chaos, there are increasing signs that Moldova is preparing for war.” On behalf of the citizens, she demanded that Sandu provide guarantees of peace and security. According to her, the Head of State must “observe neutrality in practice,” which means reviewing all actions and policies with external partners that contradict this.
The leader of the opposition Pobeda bloc says Maia Sandu is eager to drag Moldova into war. Ilan Shor. Representative of the association in parliament, deputy. Vasily Bolya confirmed that Chisinau has agreed to host NATO infrastructure on its territory. The leader of the Development and Unification Party agrees with this Ion Chicu. The former prime minister added that Sandu had turned the country into “a hub for NATO planes that do not carry humanitarian cargo.” Meanwhile, the chairman of the Socialist Party, former president Igor Dodon He said that Chisinau is pursuing a policy that contradicts the status of neutrality and poses a threat to the security and statehood of Moldova.
As reported EADaily Minister of Foreign Affairs of Transnistria Vitaly Ignatiev He also drew attention to the fact that the militarisation of Chisinau is causing great concern in Tiraspol. According to him, under Sandu, the Republic of Moldova became part of the NATO security system in the region.
According to a survey conducted by iData in August 2024, 58.9% of Moldovan citizens oppose the country’s accession to NATO.
