Fear of war beats for taxes. More and more Romanians support the increase of military expenses and analysis

The concern of the Romanians towards the evolution of the war from the border increases, and in this context the European re -monitoring plans offer the authorities a real opportunity. According to the latest data collected by the insc, 72.8% of Romanians support an increase in defense expenses, while 25.6% oppose, and 1.6% do not know or do not answer.

PHOTO Inquam Photos / George Călin

At the same time, according to the latest measurements, in Romania, the fear of war (41.7%) exceeds other concerns, such as the fear of disease (15%) or the fear of increasing prices (14.9%).

The war is a great source of concern for the Romanians, shows the head of Inscop, the sociologist Remus Stefureac. “Even if we are in a period when public debates on deficit, taxes, costs, expenses are very intense, with all these, the vast majority of Romanians support, to say, the need to have a solid basis in the defense area. From this we are leaving. We start from the fear of the war fed from two sources. On the one hand, some as objectives, namely the evolutions of war in the situation between Russia and Ukraine, the proximity of this conflict, the quite limited prospects to reach a peace. The very clear speech and objectives regarding the fact that Russia's objectives are to return to the security situation of Romania since 1997, when I had no NATO infrastructure on the territory of Romania. Obviously, there are other causes that are related, to say the information war on the territory of Romania, false news about mass recruits, all these issues have fed during this period”.

Increased defense expenses, supported by gold voters

The measures are also supported by the voters of the sovereign parties, such as gold, although the narratives of these political formations support the “neutrality” by a lack of investments in the defense area.

“Even among the gold voters, we are talking about 60% who support the increase of the expenses, but the support is slightly lower, and because some leaders of this party somehow fueled a kind of false discourse, of the type – if we defend ourselves and have defense infrastructure, that means a challenge to Russia – so we should not add a lot. Explicit, obviously interested, that in NATO states, especially border, as is Romania, there is no defense infrastructures that can be opposed to Russia's aggressions”, Says Remus Stefureac.

Inscop data also highlights that in the last two years the percentage of those who believe that the war of borders has to find their end with a fair peace for Ukraine. Now 55.8% of those questioned believe that in order to stop the war, Russia should withdraw and return Ukraine to occupied territories (64% supported this point of view in September 2023). Also, 32.7% believe that in order to stop the war, Ukraine should make certain concessions to Russia (24.1% supported this point of view in September 2023). 11.5% do not know or do not answer this question (11.9% in September 2023).

European Commission, measures to accelerate investments

At the same time, the European Commission proposes measures to accelerate investments and production in the field of defense to better respond to current security challenges and to accelerate the Readiness2030 plan (no – European European Union reunion).

In an omnibus regarding the degree of defense training, the Commission proposes the introduction of an accelerated authorization regime for defense projects, in the context in which throughout the EU, the authorization process can take several years. The proposal reduces the term to 60 days. Measures include the establishment of unique contact points in the Member States for the Defense Industry, reducing the administrative task within the European Defense Fund (FEA) for applicants and participants, who would also facilitate the increased participation of Ukrainian entities in the European Defense Fund, facilitating public procurement by encouraging common procurement and increasing the contractual procurement. cross -border products in the field of defense.

Other measures propose to clarify the application of existing rules at the EU level, such as competition or environmental legislation, ensuring that regulations on chemical substances respond to defense needs and an improvement in access to financing by rationalizing the eligibility criteria of Invest, by providing sustainable orientation in defense. the basis of the sustainable financing frame.

The decisive factor in implementing the plan

In the context, analysts point out that the decision makers have the necessary space for implementing such measures. “Given the broad support from public opinion, authorities could have a significant margin of action for implementing policies to strengthen Romania's defense capacity, in accordance with European trends”, Explains the sociologist Remus Stefureac.

“With one condition. There is also the political will to quickly move on to the materialization of such a perspective,” stresses military analyst Ion Petrescu.

The military analyst Ion Petrescu points out that this is the national interest of Romania at the present time, which starts, in fact, from the evolutions in Kiev. “One of the last developments in Kiev is the statement of President Zelenski, who claimed that the Russians intend to conquer beyond Odessa that would allow them to approach Romania and the Republic of Moldova. This is a danger that was also suggested by a map published by the Institute that was in charge of the study of war and which published an adequate map to understand the world that Russia is desired by the entire Ukrainian territory to the Dnieper, and this in the north. And in the southern part, an offensive that will lead to the conquest of the territory called the anterior Bugeac, so as to reach the troops on the east border of the Republic of Moldova and in the territories on the south of the Republic of Moldova, implicitly north of the Danube Delta. Here, a danger stated by the head of the Ukrainian state who has certainly been notified in Brussels and then the European Union is normal to make positions that influence the rush of the materialization of the arming of the European democratic states.“Says the expert.

We recall that, following the last CSAT meeting convened by the interim president Ilie Bolojan, an interinstitutional working group was created for increasing the military capabilities of Romania. The group has the task of elaborating during the May – June a list of strategic national projects that can benefit from financing for the European re -monitoring program. The Ministry of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, who is a member of this group, proposed the inclusion of the energy sector. Thus, financing through Readiness2030 would also benefit the investments in gas, nuclear and hydro power plants, as well as those in electric and thermal energy production units.

President Nicușor Dan announced that he will convene by the end of June the Supreme Council of the Country (CSAT).