Estonia has announced plans to increase its defence budget by 9% in 2016. If approved the increase will represent the largest boost to the country's defence spending since 2012 and will see the Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) budget increase to EUR449 million (USD505 million): a EUR37 million boost from 2015 levels. Announcing the planned increase on 28 September, Estonian Minister of Defence Hannes Hanso stated that "the stable increase in the defence budget agreed for a long term ensures development of defensive capabilities and makes it possible for us to respond to challenges posed by the changing security situation". The growth planned for 2016 will see Estonian defence expenditure increase from 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) to 2.1%: its highest level to date.
展开▼
