The government approved the Defense bills in Thursday’s meeting. These provide for the introduction of a voluntary military program for the population aged 18-35 and the clear organization of the institutions and mechanisms responsible for the country’s protection.
Minister of National Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu, stated that both projects are heading for approval in Parliament.
„They are approved by the government, heading to Parliament. We will request urgent procedures for Parliament, and I trust that by the end of this year, they will be approved, there will be debates in committees and in plenary, and we will have these projects become laws,” he said.
### Military Volunteer Program
The Minister of Defense specified that, according to the project, **young people who will enter voluntary military service will receive three average salaries for the four months of training**, and the best ones will be able to remain in the army as professional soldiers.
„The benefits are, I don’t even know how to rank them, first of all, civic duty, then a financial benefit, so here we proposed for the four months, three average salaries, we will see how it will end up after passing through Parliament,” said Ionuț Moșteanu, quoted by Mediafax.
Another advantage for participants in voluntary military service is the opportunity to remain in the army.
„The fact that **the best among them will be able to remain in the army**, it will be our desire for them to become professional soldiers, to select the best ones that we see after four months that want and can do it and enjoy it, to remain professional soldiers, or some of them will want to remain within the army,” explained the minister.
Moșteanu emphasized that the measure aligns with European practices.
„It’s something that happens almost everywhere in Europe, so they have started again in recent years seeing the realities and facing the same problem of aging the operational reserve, **several European countries have introduced this kind of project, voluntary service, voluntary army**,” Moșteanu pointed out.
### Army Deficit
Asked about the current deficit of the Romanian army, the Minister of Defense said that this year over 120,000 soldiers and non-commissioned officers will retire, next year another 118,000, in 2027 another 111,000.
„We are talking about approximately 350,000 soldiers and non-commissioned officers who are retiring, exceeding the age of 55 as defined by law, and it is necessary to rejuvenate this reserve of the Romanian Army. I have mentioned it in the plans agreed with the allies. **There is a target of 120,000 professional soldiers, which would be absolutely sufficient to meet the needs of the army as defined in the defense strategies agreed with the allies**,” Moșteanu explained.
The Minister of Defense emphasized that achieving the objective depends on several factors. „It all depends on people’s willingness to join the army, on how attractive we make this for the citizens of Romania, how attractive we make the military profession for the citizens of Romania, and on budgetary availability,” Moșteanu explained.
„Because, again, when we talk about the size of the army and the equipment of the army, we are talking about significant expenses,” the official warned.
The minister announced that Romania has clear commitments regarding defense spending: „They will increase as agreed with the allies at The Hague Summit to 3.5% plus 1.5% strict defense spending and 1.5% related defense spending until 2035. This is agreed with NATO allies, and we are moving in the same direction.”