ANATOLIE NOSATII: THOSE WHO CRITICIZE MOLDOVA'S COOPERATION WITH NATO ONCE INITIATED IT

Interview with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Moldova, Anatolie Nosatii, for the INFOTAG news agency

"INFOTAG": For the first time the Ministry's budget for 2023 has doubled to almost 1.7 billion lei, which is 650 million lei more than in 2022. How desirable is this increase and what will the money be spent on?

А. N.: The increase is very welcome, moreover, it is maintained in the medium term, which allows us to effectively plan expenditures to improve the service of the National Army, its equipment.

I would like to point out here that the budget of the Ministry is a public document, and every citizen can access the website of the Ministry of Finance and see how the funds are allocated.

I will give just a few details. For 2023, the allocation for equipment purchases has been increased in accordance with operational needs. Another new item in the budget is capital investment. Here I would like to point out that the construction of a new military unit with very good conditions for the service of military personnel has begun.

"INFOTAG": When is this project scheduled to be completed, what is its cost?

A.N.: I would like it to happen as soon as possible, but some of the work takes time because there are technical procedures that need to be followed. I think the project will be completed within three to five years. It's a pretty big and expensive project. The recent 30-50% increase in the price of construction materials is forcing us to reconsider the cost of the project and the necessary allocation.

"INFOTAG": Right now, defense spending is about 0.5% of GDP. For effective and rapid modernization of the army, how much should this figure be?

А. N.: Moldova is among the countries with the lowest budget allocations for defense. In the European Union member states, the defense budget is 1.5% to 4% and in neutral countries it is 1.6% to 4%. But let us not forget that in Switzerland or Austria, neutral countries, GDP is much higher than in Moldova.

"INFOTAG": The German government has delivered six of the 19 Piranha armored vehicles promised to strengthen the technical capacity of the National Army. Have these machines been tested in military exercises, what is the opinion of the Moldovan military about them?

А. N.: First of all, I would like to establish a link between the budgetary allocations for the defense sector and the assistance of development partners. Unfortunately, Moldova today cannot afford to purchase much needed equipment in these difficult times. For this reason, external assistance is a very good opportunity to speed up the army modernization process, and the assistance offered by Germany as a result of direct negotiations with the German Ministry of Defense is very welcome.

Piranha armored vehicles are much more advanced than the ones the National Army is equipped with. They provide greater mobility and protection for the troops, allowing them to train and be better prepared for their missions.

These types of vehicles are also used abroad, where the Moldovan military is deployed. Training troops at home allows them to be more effective in Kosovo and Lebanon. These armored vehicles have not yet been used in exercises, but only on permanent deployment for various training exercises.

Recently, the vehicles have been used for first aid and battlefield evacuation training. The military appreciates the fact that Piranha armored vehicles are more efficient and easier to operate.

"INFOTAG": What other military equipment will the Defense Ministry receive from partners in 2023?

А. N.: The Department of Defense has a well-coordinated plan, as far as procuring and receiving various donations and equipment from partners. The first projects that were started in 2022 will begin in 2023, when we receive equipment deliveries from the EU.

We will receive equipment to support medical units, engineering units for mine clearance missions.

Logistics projects will start to be implemented. Here we are talking about various trucks and equipment, which is necessary to provide the operational teams.

This equipment will come to the Republic of Moldova gradually, because the military industry is now very much in demand due to the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine, and the production of military equipment, especially complex equipment, takes from one to three years.

"INFOTAG": The European Union recently promised Moldova a radar. Could you tell us more about it? Are there any personnel in Moldova that can use it?

А. N.: The Ministry is making every effort to identify opportunities to improve the situation in the area of state security and defense. In this area, we have also taken steps to improve the situation in terms of airspace monitoring. We are also working on airspace defense. But it's taking a little bit more time. We have had discussions with EU partners about the possibility of providing airspace monitoring systems. We now have political approval. That means that all EU countries need to accept this proposal.

I would like to point out that this is grant aid from the EU, and the resources allocated by the EU are not administered by the Ministry of Defense. Agencies are designated to be responsible for the implementation of such projects. In this case, an agency in Estonia with expertise in this area has been identified.

When asked if we have the manpower to operate such a radar, we can say that all equipment comes with support packages for training, if necessary installation and commissioning, including logistical support for a certain period of time. Just like when you buy a new car - it has a warranty, support package, training if needed.

"INFOTAG": In 2022, you were the first Moldova’s defense minister to visit France, and the defense ministers of Germany and Spain visited Moldova for the first time. What important visits are on your agenda for 2023, and which high-ranking defense officials will be visiting Chisinau this year?

А. N.: Cooperation with foreign partners is an important area of the Defense Ministry's work. This way, we can establish better cooperative relations and identify new projects, including military assistance. We have several activities planned for 2023. This week, I will travel to NATO and EU headquarters to participate in some important events. In April I will make an official visit to the Czech Republic, and the Romanian defense minister will visit Chisinau.

"INFOTAG": The opposition criticizes the authorities for military cooperation with NATO and the United States. Why is the partnership with NATO and the U.S. so important for Moldova?

А. N.: Since the beginning of my mandate, I have sought to revive relations with Moldova's partners, including international organizations. I would mention the cooperation with the UN, which allowed us to deploy the first contingent in UN missions, the cooperation with the EU, which allowed us to benefit from 47 million euros in assistance.

At present, we are discussing a new package of 40 million euros in assistance for strengthening Moldova's defense capabilities. This is quite a significant amount, given that these allocations are only for the purchase of equipment.

Even non-lethal equipment is vital for the functioning of the National Army. We are in a situation where most of the equipment we have needs to be replaced. You can no longer upgrade a machine that was manufactured in the 1960s or 1970s. At some point, maintenance becomes very expensive and even dangerous because it jeopardizes the safety of the military and road users.

Cooperation with foreign partners such as the United States, Romania, France, Germany, Spain or Italy is very important because it contributes to the strategic goal of transforming the national army.

As for cooperation with NATO, it was established in 1994 in the format of the Partnership for Peace and evolved into the Individual Partnership Plan with NATO.

NATO now proposes to consolidate all cooperation plans into a single plan for the country, the Individual Partnership Program. This will allow for more effective coordination of cooperation programs with NATO. This plan is due to be completed in 2024. The decision to merge all the plans into one plan was based on the discussions and experience of other countries.

I would also like to note that all documents concerning Moldova's cooperation with NATO are public, and the cooperation plan is usually reconfirmed in February-March of each year. Civil society is widely involved in discussions, where only activities in the interest of Moldova are discussed.

All speculations about the negative impact of cooperation with NATO are groundless. Let me remind you that those who criticize cooperation with NATO today are those who once initiated cooperation with the alliance and subsequently raised it to a new level. For which I say a big thank you to them! In doing so, they thought about the national interests of the country. However, now the political position they are taking is forcing them to radically change their attitude to this sphere.

"INFOTAG": Are there areas of cooperation where Moldova's expectations of NATO are higher and, vice versa, where NATO's expectations of Moldova are much higher?

А. N.: NATO has no expectations. NATO's role is to support Moldova's development in different areas. They help us become better in areas such as interoperability or training. The cooperation plan with NATO includes various targets that have performance indicators and are reviewed periodically to see if we have reached the expected level, if we are capable of taking the next step or if we still need to do something to meet the required standards.

"INFOTAG": Does Moldova currently have some military relations with Russia?

А. N.: Since the declaration of independence, Moldova has had modest relations within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and with Russia in the military sphere. After 1999-2000 they decreased and are not developing now. As a minister, I do not propose to cooperate with the Russian Federation in this field, because our visions, priorities and standards do not coincide.

"INFOTAG": To what extent is the formation of a professional army now a priority for the country and the Defense Ministry?

А. N.: The creation of a professional army sounds nice. But the previously announced program had no financial backing, i.e., it was populist and declarative. Any program needs financial backing and logical arguments. Otherwise, it is just a political statement of politicians, who want to draw attention to the sector, but have no good intentions.

Discussions with colleagues in neighboring countries and in the EU show that maintaining a mixed system of army replenishment is so far the best solution for Moldova.

"INFOTAG": Is the number of citizens willing to serve in the National Army on a contract basis increasing or, on the contrary, decreasing, especially given the situation in the region?

А. N.: It is a fluctuating number, and it depends on several factors, not only the desire of the military personnel or their attachment to the military profession. It is often related to the social and economic situation in the country and abroad.

The Ministry of Defense invests heavily in the training of military personnel. Unfortunately, in many civilian fields salaries are much higher than in the military. For example, salaries in information technology start at 30,000 lei. We have many specialists who have participated in various trainings in the country and abroad, speak foreign languages, have abilities that many civilians do not have. That is why they are in high demand in areas such as IT and banking. This phenomenon is characteristic not only for our ministry, but for all state institutions in Moldova.

"INFOTAG": Thank you for the interview!