Radu Miruta: The national defense industry needs as much funding as possible

Minister of National Defense Radu Miruta stated on Friday in Constanta that the national defense industry needs as much funding as possible, but if the money is allocated while the industry remains poorly managed, it will "leak away as if through a bag full of holes."Regarding the Bolojan Government's support for the proposal to allow privately managed pension funds to invest in companies within the defense, security, and conventional arms industries, Miruta stated that "the defense industry needs three things: orders from the Romanian state, technology, and management unconnected to party affiliation.""I agree that the national defense industry needs as much funding as possible. The issue regarding the Pillar II pension funds is being handled by the Ministry of Labor, the Romanian Government, and the Prime Minister, because everyone wants to tap into those resources. If the decision favors the national defense industry?diverting funds that might otherwise have gone to other sources or destinations?it represents a compromise," stated the Minister of National Defense when asked for his views on the dispute surrounding Pillar II, given that the Bolojan Government supports a plan for pension funds to invest in the arms industry.He noted that the Romanian Army had spent vast sums on equipment procurement?funds that, however, were not channeled through the national defense industry."Everyone needs money, but I believe that funds allocated to the national defense industry?given the current state of its mismanagement?will simply leak away, much like water through a sieve. (...) The Romanian Army has had an equipment procurement budget every year. For years, the Army has spent vast sums on procurement. Why, despite these amounts spent by the Romanian state, have we failed to channel these funds through the national defense industry? Had those billions of euros been spent by routing them through Romanian factories, we wouldn't have trees growing inside ROMARM facilities today. We have trees there because the national defense industry has frequently been used as a political tool?just look at the people overseeing it," stated Miruta.Minister of National Defense Radu Miruta returned to Romania on Friday, following his participation in the Istanbul Summit, aboard the new corvette "Rear Admiral August Roman," which the Romanian state had purchased from Turkey.   According minister Miruta, the other four vessels contracted by the Romanian Army will be built in Romania at a cost of nearly one billion euros."Given the decision I have made and the sequence of events leading up to it?specifically, building the four ships at the Mangalia-2 Mai Shipyard?my aim is for this order, worth nearly one billion euros, to restore the shipyard's competitiveness. An added advantage is our status as an EU member state; it is the largest shipyard in the European Union. And yes, if we succeed, the Romanian state will also secure effective management for the facility. It seems all the necessary ingredients are in place: high-performance technology, orders from the Romanian state, and domestic production. If, after processing one billion euros through this shipyard, it fails to survive beyond these four orders, the fault will lie with no one but the state itself for failing to ensure competitive management," said Radu Miruta.He stated that, once purchased from Turkey for 223 million euros, the corvette is set to be fitted with military equipment through the European Safe funding program."So, in addition to the 223 million euros this corvette cost, it is set to receive low-altitude air defense capabilities and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Then there is that much-discussed capability: the NSM anti-ship missiles. These cost around 47 million euros in total. In my estimation, it will take seven to ten months before installation can begin (...). They will be installed while the ship is docked, as the vessel is already prepared. (...) There is a platform on board ready for the installation of these capabilities, and it needs to happen as soon as possible," the Minister of National Defence added. (Photo:https://armed.mapn.ro/)