Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta told US Vice President Joe Biden that Romania will allocate 2 percent of GDP to defense expenditures, by 2016.

“I’ve discussed with Vice President Biden the Romanian government’s decision to take on all the implications of our position. The security can never be obtained for free and the investments that the Romanian government has to increase and has already increased regarding the defense system -there is an agreement and a political consensus so that, in a short period of time, until 2016, Romania to allocate 2 percent of GDP for defense expenditures,” said Ponta during the meeting with the American VP.

Earlier the day, during the meeting with the Romanian President Basescu, Joe Biden said that he encourages Romania to continue its efforts to bring the defense budget up to the 2 percent of GDP.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Gov.ro)