Estonia to allocate additional 40 million euros to accommodate allied troops
At the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, the Estonian Government approved the proposal of the Ministry of Defense to find additional funds of 40 million euros in order to ensure the presence of the allied forces in Estonia.
The extra funding will establish the necessary infrastructure for the Allies and develop training opportunities.
According to the plan, the 40 million euros will be invested from 2015–2019. This year, 5.6 million euros will be invested, which will be added to the existing defense budget.
Government decided last year that in addition to Estonia’s existing defense budget, extra resources would be found to cover the costs of hosting the allied troops in Estonia, in light of the changed security situation.
With the infrastructure projects, Estonia will be able to provide the good living and working conditions that are essential for the permanent presence of the Allies, the possibility for the advance positioning of equipment necessary for the allied troops and training opportunities for using heavy equipment. All of this is a prerequisite for being the best possible host for the allied troops.
Editor: S. Tambur