The Finance Ministry came up with a second draft budget on Friday, which increased the Defense Ministry’s budget, but reduced the funds allotted to the intelligence services. As a response, President Klaus Iohannis decided to summon the Supreme Defense Council (CSAT) on Tuesday, January 31, to analyze the budgets of the national security institutions.

The Government planned to approve the budget draft on Friday and send it to the Parliament for the final vote. After the President’s request, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said that the Government would delay the budget approval until after the CSAT meeting.

The new draft budget has increased the funds allocated to the Defense Ministry from RON 11 billion (EUR 2.4 billion) to RON 16.3 billion (EUR 3.6 billion), or 2% of the GDP. However, the funds allocated to the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), Romania’s main intelligence service, were reduced to RON 1.7 billion (EUR 377 million), down 9.4% over the level of 2016.

The draft budget also provides a lower budget for the Presidential Administration by 15% compared to 2016. This will amount to EUR 9 million.

editor@romania-insider.com