The new draft National Defense Strategy includes adjustments to existing policies, legal and normative provisions in order to regulate the integrated functioning of the national defense system. The draft Strategy was debated during a public meeting organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Documentation and Information Center on NATO in Moldova, IPN reports.

Aurel Fondos, the Ministry’s State Secretary, says that the goals of the new strategy are to ensure the control and protection of the state border, to increase the Moldovan military’s capacity to participate in international missions and operations, to enhance the capacity to control and protect our airspace, to boost Moldova’s credibility before external partners by fulfilling existing commitments.

Another objective is to strengthen, develop and modernize the national defense system by transforming, modernizing and equipping the defense forces, so that they will be able to react to asymmetric and hybrid threats, as well as other emergencies, and to contribute to international stability, security and peacekeeping.

Experts in the field suggested that the draft needs to be improved in order to respond to the latest regional and domestic developments.

The Strategy will be implemented in three stages: strengthening the national defense system (1-2 years after the Strategy is approved), developing the national defense system and modernizing the national defense system (during the whole period the Strategy is in effect).