Approval on the defense budget in the specialized parliamentary committees. The budget of the Ministry of Defense for 2026 is 49.4 billion lei, or 2.42% of GDP
Andreea SoareThe Minister of Defense, Radu Miruţă, participated this evening in the hearings of the specialized parliamentary committees regarding the ministry's budget for 2026. According to his statement, this year, the ministry will have a budget of 49,426,000,000 lei, or 2.42% of GDP. It is also expected that 3,000 new soldiers will enter the system through the "voluntary military service" program. Last year, MoD had a positive balance of entries into the system of over 400 people, the minister also said today.
"This year, through the current budget draft, the share of budget purchases will be 37.55%. Compared to the preliminary execution for 2025, the proposal for this year is 16.62% higher than what was executed last year. (...)In 2025, we had a positive balance of entries into the system at the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova of over 400 people.
For "personnel expenses", we have proposed 12.28 billion lei in the budget, including the achievement of 3,000 soldiers voluntarily graduated on time within a pilot program that will begin this year. The increase is 3.9% compared to last year's personnel expenses.
For "Goods and Services" - the amount allocated is 3.83 billion lei, 3.3% higher than in 2025 (including expenses for the maintenance of military equipment).
In "transfers between public administration units" - 1.81 billion lei, 0.7% higher than last year's execution;
In "other transfers" - 719 million lei - the payment of obligations to NATO common budgets and commitments assumed to international organizations is ensured;
In "Social assistance" - 6.52 billion lei - the budget being 6.9% higher compared to last year's execution - to ensure the payment of military pensions, reparation indemnities for the descendants of heroes and fighters from the Revolution, aid for war veterans and other social rights - 88,000 beneficiaries;
In "Non-financial assets" - the endowment chapter: 21.33 billion lei, of which 18.54% are allocated for endowment (of which 16.7% from the state budget and 1.5 billion from external loans). Part of these funds are needed as a result of the postponement of payment in 2026 for contracts concluded in 2025 (SHORAD-VSHORAD, the Hisar light corvette, for which only 10% was purchased in 2025, and the H215 helicopters from the Naval Forces). The payment obligations for the endowment in 2026 are for F-35, Abrams tanks, the 155 mm howitzer system, the Cobra II 4x4 vehicles, the Piranha 5 armored personnel carrier, IVECO platforms, F-16 aircraft, Patriot missile system + PAC-2 missiles.
For infrastructure, we have allocated 2.78 billion lei, where works for the infrastructure in Kogălniceanu, Câmpia Turzii, the 74th Mihai Bradu Brigade, the Sibiu Multinational Corps Command, Smârdan, and the FOS applied schools in Vlădeni will be financed.
