CHISINAU, January 12. /TASS/. Moldova will receive 19 used Piranha armored personnel carriers (APCs) from Germany free of charge, and they will be used for peacekeeping mission training, Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii said during the ceremony of the handover of the first three vehicles Thursday.

"We have received 19 vehicles; we will install machineguns on these APCs, we have them. Of course, these vehicles have a price, but, for us, it was a donation from the German government," Nosatii told reporters, thanking the German government for its contribution to modernize the Moldovan army.

The Minister added that, while these vehicles are not new, they have undergone capital repairs, and were issued a warranty period. According to the Minister, the entire vehicle batch will be shipped before the middle of this year.

Moldova - a neutral state, according to its own constitution - has increased its military budget by 68% (to about $89 million) in 2023, which comprises about 0.5% of its GDP. Previously, Moldovan President Maia Sandu announced that the US, the EU and NATO have increased their aid for reinforcement of Moldova’s defense capabilities, with over 40 million euro promised to the republic. According to the Defense Ministry, the Moldovan army already receives small arms, with shipments of modern mobile platforms, communication equipment and drones planned for the future.

In addition, the Moldovan army is being reinforced under NATO’s ‘Partnership for Peace’ program and the Security Capacity Building Initiative. Its first stage included the adoption of a national defense strategy, while the second includes the provision of aid, including from NATO’s special trust fund. The Moldovan opposition harshly criticized the decision to increase military spending at a moment when the republic is experiencing a brutal economic crisis. Concerns over the militarization of Moldova were also expressed by Transnistria: Transnistrian Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatyev called Germany’s announced arms shipments to Moldova a threat to the stability of Dniester.