Parliament has rejected the motion concerning the state’s policy in the field of national defense and the protection, security, and physical integrity of National Army servicemen, TRIBUNA reports.

The simple motion was submitted by 33 opposition MPs and presented during the plenary sitting of 12 March 2026. The authors justified the initiative by citing “major deficiencies in the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the National Army,” which they claim have led to “multiple cases of servicemen’s deaths and problems related to discipline and integrity.”

In his address from the Parliament’s central rostrum, Minister of Defense Anatolie Nosatîi stated that the objective of modernizing the National Army also includes caring for its personnel. He noted that in recent years the ministry has implemented several measures to strengthen the social protection of servicemen. Among these, he listed salary increases for contract soldiers, the introduction of free lunch and service‑related transportation, recognition of childcare leave as part of the required seniority for pension eligibility, and the elimination of disciplinary arrest. “These measures send a clear message: respect for the serviceman means respect for the state,” emphasized Anatolie Nosatîi.

The Minister also informed MPs about progress made in the modernization and professionalization of the army. He highlighted the provision of equipment such as bulletproof vests, protective helmets, and individual medical kits, as well as the acquisition of transport equipment and armored vehicles, including Piranha and Humvee models.

“In these years, together—with the support of Parliament, the relevant committee, and all MPs who voted for the reforms and the budget—we have built a more modern, better equipped, and better prepared army,” Nosatîi noted.

According to the Minister, new capabilities have been introduced within the National Army, including drone operation and the development of electronic warfare capacities. In parallel, an ambitious program for modernizing military infrastructure has begun, while the Military Strategy for the next 10 years provides for the phased development of air‑interception systems, including through international assistance programs. In this context, European Union support for the modernization of the National Army increased from approximately 7 million euros in 2022 to around 60 million euros in 2025.

“Responsible neutrality is based on defense capability. The Republic of Moldova cannot ignore this reality. We have foreign troops on our territory. We have a war at our border. We have a direct responsibility for the safety of our citizens,” the Minister concluded.

After the question‑and‑answer session, the motion was put to a vote, and the majority of MPs voted against it.

Under the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, a simple motion may be initiated by at least 15 MPs and is adopted with the vote of the majority of MPs present.