CHISINAU, February 29. /TASS/. Transnistria's military is concerned about the growing activity of the Moldovan Defense Ministry, Oleg Belyakov, the unrecognized republic’s co-chair of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) for the peacekeeping operation, has told the media.
"Although the Moldovan side says these are scheduled annual activities, we know that summonses are being mailed, draft-age people interviewed at enlistment offices, motor vehicles inventoried and the whereabouts human resources, mostly males, checked. This cannot but cause certain concern. We saw something like that back in 1992," Belyakov said. He stressed that Russian peacekeepers remained a safeguard of security on the left bank of the Dniester.
Last year, the authorities of Moldova, a neutral state under its Constitution, increased the military budget by 68% to $89 million, which is equivalent to 0.55% of the GDP. Supplies of weapons and military equipment to Moldova have been increased by the US, other NATO countries and the EU.
Last December, the Moldovan parliament approved a national security strategy proposed by the president, which pointed to Russia as the main threat. Romania was described as Moldova's strategic partner. The document stresses the need for strengthening cooperation in this area with the EU, Britain, the United States, Turkey and NATO. The authors of the document note that Moldova needs modern, well-equipped and trained armed forces compatible with the armies of partner countries. Moldova plans to increase its military budget to 1% of the GDP over 10 years.