Estonia to Receive €40 Million for NATO Ally Reception Infrastructure
Estonia will receive financial assistance from NATO amounting to €40 million to support the construction of necessary infrastructure for hosting allied troops and equipment. The announcement was made by Estonia's Minister of Defense, Hannes Pevkur, as reported by ERR.
"We have received NATO's approval for €40 million, which can be utilized through the NATO Security Investment Programme for infrastructure construction," stated Pevkur during a government press conference on Thursday.
Pevkur emphasized that Estonia has already committed to providing funding for hosting allied forces. However, considering the overall demands for defense investments and the country's limited resources, the government is also seeking external funding sources for this project.
"If you look at all that we have to do in connection with our commitments, the agreements reached at the Vilnius Summit mean that the presence of allies in Estonia will certainly have a greater impact, both temporarily and permanently," explained the Minister of Defense.
The necessary infrastructure includes the construction of hangars for aircraft, shelters for equipment, barracks in Emari and additional facilities in Tapa, as well as garages and shelters. Additionally, the renovation of a mess hall is planned, and construction at the Nurmsi military training area is already underway following a successful tender contract with Mapri Ehitus worth €21 million.
Minister Hannes Pevkur also expressed hope that Spain will continue to deploy their NASAMS air defense systems in Estonia, bolstering the Baltic country's defense capabilities.
Earlier, it was reported that Estonia would increase defense spending to 3% of its GDP. Plans include the procurement of medium-range air defense systems to enhance anti-aircraft defense, the purchase of ammunition for the air force, mechanization of maneuver units, and increasing ammunition reserves. Over the next four years, more than €1.2 billion worth of ammunition will be acquired. The Estonian Defense Minister highlighted that the full-scale war by Russia against Ukraine clearly demonstrates the areas where investment is needed.