Corruption is a vulnerability mentioned in the National Defence Strategy because Romania cannot have security without a powerful army and a powerful economy, and economy is affected to the highest degree by corruption, National Liberal Party (PNL) first deputy chairman Catalin Predoiu said in a debate organised at the Palace of Parliament.

„Corruption is a vulnerability mentioned in the National Defence Strategy (…) because we cannot have security without a powerful army, to which we should allot that percentage of the GDP and equip it, without a powerful economy, and economy is affected to the highest degree by corruption,” Predoiu maintained in the debate organised by the National Liberal Youth on the topic „Romania’s and Poland’s National Defence Strategies in the current geopolitical context.”

In his opinion, unless it becomes clear to all of us how important it is to build a different society, where „corruption is held under control, since it cannot be eradicated completely,” then all the combating efforts will be insufficient.

According to him, when talking about competition, liberal market economy, regional ambition level of economic operators in Romania, „the national sport called faked tenders through pre-made tender books” can no longer be tolerable.

Participating in the debate, Poland’s Ambassador in Bucharest Marek Szcygiel said that Russia’s aggression in Georgia, the „illegal annexing” of Crimea, as well as the war in Ukraine have affected the perception on national security and the measures required to ensure it, and that NATO and the EU are structures meant to provide guidance and support to the member states.

„Demographics and economic security are increasingly important factors in the context of the need to consolidate the freedom for economic action and for resisting the economic pressures of the Russian Federation. In our opinion, we should prepare NATO in the first place to be able to deal with these existing challenges. In the NATO summit of Warsaw next year, we must attempt to ensure the balance between the allies’ objectives, but without neglecting the provisions of article 5 of the Alliance. NATO must hold the military capabilities backing the assumed political commitments,” the Polish Ambassador said.

He mentioned that, by the end of this decade, all NATO countries must allot 2 per cent of the GDP to the army and meeting this objective is an aspect related to the credibility of the Alliance partners.

Also participating in the event were Constantin Dudu Ionescu, state adviser with the Presidential Administration, National Liberal Party MEP Cristian Busoi, Senate’s Defence Committee President Marius Obreja, members of the Defence Committee with the Deputies’ Chamber.