OREANDA-NEWS. September 14, 2016. President Petro Poroshenko underlines the importance of the security and defense sector in 2017.

“The key position to be ensured in this draft state budget is to allocate 5% of GDP for the expenditures of security and defense,” Petro Poroshenko emphasized at the NSDC meeting.

“This year, I will closely monitor the fulfillment of another NSDC decision - to allocate 3% of these 5% exclusively for defense. I would like to emphasize that the overall volume of funding equals UAH 129 billion,” the President noted.

The Head of State stressed that the process of construction of new army, new Armed Forces remained his top priority.

According to the President, another priority is to strengthen the rule of law in the country and finance the Ministry of the Interior, National Police and National Guard.

“We must correct distortions regarding the financing of the State Border Service. We must increase funding of the Security Service, which must respond to the risks of terrorist threats’ increase,” the President said and addressed Head of the Security Service Vasyl Hrytsak to submit proposals on funding anti-terrorist units.

Petro Poroshenko noted that real needs of security and defense sector are much higher, but resources are restricted and funding is on the verge of possible and impossible.

The President also stressed the need to increase funding of the Foreign Ministry. “Given the fact that liberation of Crimea and the occupied territories in the east of Ukraine must be held in political-diplomatic manner, I suggest to increase funding of the Foreign Ministry. Diplomats are the same weapon as our Armed Forces,” he said.