BUCHAREST, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed an agreement with parliamentary parties' leaders on Tuesday to increase the country's defense budget to 2 percent of GDP in 2017.
According to the agreement, all the signatories committed themselves to four goals of national defense: increasing the defense spending to 2 percent of GDP in 2017, keeping that level for the following ten years, raising it further if the resources allow it, and developing cooperation projects involving foreign companies.
The president on Monday held separated consultations on this agreement with all the parliamentary parties and forces.
Iohannis pointed out after the consultations that the national consensus on military spending can open up the way to technological cooperation between the defense companies of Romania and those of the allies, thus offering an opportunity for the country's national defense industry.
"I ask the Defense Ministry to draw up a multi-annual acquirement program based on the real needs of the Army that takes into account the security challenges and our obligations as a NATO member," said the head of state.
Romania's military budget has hovered around 1.5 percent of GDP in recent years, although the country promised a level of 2-3 percent when it joined NATO in 2004.
Romania's defense budget for the current year is some 1.7 percent of GDP.
