Romanian PM admits 2023 defense spending deferred to 2024, resulting in 2023 NATO reported spending at 1.6% of GDP.

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu admitted that part of Romania's defense spending, initially planned for 2023, was deferred and executed in January and February 2024 to meet the country's 5.7%-of-GDP public deficit target pledged to the European Commission for 2022-2023. As a result, NATO reported Romania's defense spending in 2023 was at 1.6% of its GDP, lower than the previously reported figures of up to 2.5%.