Miguel A. Lopes / EPA
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
The secretary general of NATO came to Lisbon to alert the Prime Minister of Portugal to the need to increase the expense in defense, to protect the Portuguese coast that “is in the eyes of Russia.”
“Russian ships and bombers matter to the Portuguese coastwhich is in the eyes of Russia, ”said Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, on a visit to the Prime Minister’s official residence in Lisbon on Monday.
Rutte is visiting the various NATO Member States in the context of Atlantic Alliance Summit that will be held and Hague in the Netherlands.
One of the hot topics of the moment is the defense investment made by each country that is part of.
At the moment, Portugal spends 1.55% of GDP in defense. But the secretary general of NATO would like the country to spend 3%. Already the new US President, Donald Trump, pointed to 5% as the ideal objective of investment for NATO allies.
But Prime Minister Luís Montenegro is for 2% until 2029ensuring, however, that it is available for “Anticipate even more” the calendar to reach this goal.
These 2% correspond to about 700 million additional euros to the defense budget.
Portugal is among the eight NATO countries that do not comply with the minimum investment requirement of 2% in defense.
A Poland is the most investing countrycom 4,12% do PIB.
Montenegro gives priority to healthy accounts and the social state
The Portuguese Prime Minister committed himself to reinforcing the investment in defense, but stressed that he will have to be done without “minimally in question the financial balance” or the social state.
“The Portuguese government will walk to reinforce its defense investment without minimally in question its financial balance, healthy public accountsa stable country, a safe country, an attractive country to put the economy to grow, ”said Montenegro.
The ruler stressed that if the country cannot have “the Safeguarded social status“It will not have human resources to promote the changes that will put the economy to grow.
“If we can’t get the economy grow, we have no means to invest in defense, like in other public policies,” he said, noting that Trust Mark Rutte’s experience as former Prime Minister of the Netherlands to understand the need for this balance.
“Threats from Russia may seem distant, but they are not”
However, Rutte was not happy with these guarantees, highlighting that the 2% of GDP defined more than a decade ago, They are no longer suitable Given the new times.
“I welcome Portugal’s commitment to increase investment, but the 2% goal is not sufficient For our challenges, ”said the former Chief Executive of the Netherlands.
Rutte also took the opportunity to alert Portugal about a potential Russian threat, noting that the “Vital Submarine Infrastructure of Portugal” It is located at points where the.
“As Threats from Russia They may seem distant, but let them assure you: they are not, ”he said.
