George Scutaru, CEO of the New Strategy Center, participated on Wednesday, June 25, in the conference “Defense Made in Romania. Opportunities and Challenges for Romania’s Defense Industry”, organized by the publication New Money in partnership with the Senate’s Committee for Defense, Public Order and National Security, the Employers’ Association of Military Equipment Manufacturers (PATROMIL), and the news platform Informat.ro.

George Scutaru was a speaker in the panel “A Good Defense Keeps Danger Away. How Do We Strengthen Romania’s Defense Capabilities?”, where he analyzed the international context and possible developments on the Ukrainian front, noting that Russia’s aggression will continue and that the risk of a direct confrontation is increasing. Given the deterioration and volatility of the security environment, the decision at NATO level to invest 3.5% in defense and an additional 1.5% in related fields must lead to firm and rapid decisions in Romania. This includes the absorption of EU funds made available through the ReArm Europe mechanism, the priorities that Romania must communicate to Brussels in order to receive funding via the SAFE mechanism, as well as investments resulting from direct budgetary allocations.

George Scutaru emphasized the need for political commitment in the arms procurement process, as well as the necessity to amend legislation and procedures, which are currently too time-consuming. He highlighted that such budgetary increases are essential for strengthening national deterrence and defense capabilities. Investments in the defense industry are particularly valuable, as they will count toward the 1.5% ceiling for related investments, alongside those for military mobility or cyber defense. The retechnologization of state-owned companies and the involvement of the private sector—supported through state contracts—must be actively pursued by political decision-makers in order to build a strong defense industry.