The EU supports the Republic of Moldova and Georgia
The Republic of Moldova and Georgia benefit from EU financial aid for the defense sector
Ştefan Stoica, 05.05.2023, 13:50
The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union has approved a 40 million euro worth of aid for the defense sector of the Republic of Moldova and a similar 30 million dollar aid for Georgia. The amount earmarked for the Republic of Moldova comes from the European Peace Facility, from which the military support for Ukraine is also financed, and the money will be used for non-lethal measures and acquisitions, which, however, strengthen the country’s defense capacity. Among them are various equipment for aerial surveillance, for transport or for defense against cyber-attacks.
The financed services cover technical training for the Army of the Republic of Moldova. They increase the interoperability of this country’s army and bring it closer to the standards used in the European Union in the military field. The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, says that Europe continues to help countries like the Republic of Moldova or Georgia to modernize their defense capabilities and participate in the Union’s military missions. It is the third similar aid in the last 2 years, through which the Union partners these two countries to ensure stability and security in the region, against the background of the Russian threat.
In another development, Bucharest has hosted this week a trilateral meeting Romania-US – Moldova on defense. Representatives of the British Ministry of Defense have also participated. The Secretary of State for Defense Policy, Planning and International Relations, Simona Cojocaru, has stated that, in the current security context, generated by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova is exposed to hybrid threats and Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns. For Romania, it is a strategic priority to support the neighboring country in strengthening its resilience and defense capabilities, and the support shown by Romania, the United States and Great Britain clearly shows that the Republic of Moldova is not alone in this process, Simona Cojocaru stressed.
Bilateral cooperation in terms of security and defense was also high on the agenda of the visit paid, this week, to Chisinau by the Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr. He had meetings with his Moldovan counterpart, Anatolie Nosatîi, and was received by President Maia Sandu. Minister Tîlvăr stated once more that Romania stood by the Republic of Moldova in the process of reforming the Army and increasing defense resilience in the face of a wide spectrum of threats. Maia Sandu said that Romania remains a strategic partner for strengthening the national defense and security capabilities. The Moldovan President thanked Bucharest for supporting Moldova in its European journey, including through the donation offered to improve the Army’s logistic system. (MI)
