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Defense: Estonia leading in expenditure in the EU

At the bottom Ireland, low rate also in Austria

18 May, 13:22
(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 18 MAG - Estonia is the EU country that spends the most for defense, Eurostat data show today.

In 2016, government in Estonia spent for defense 2.4 per cent its GDP or about 510 million euro, followed by Greece (2.1%, EUR 3.7 bn), the United Kingdom (2.0%, 47 bn euro) and France (1.8%, 40 bn). The countries that invested less in military spending were Ireland (0.3% of GDP), Luxembourg (0.4%) and Malta and Austria (0.6%).

In 2016, the EU's Member States invested 200 billion euro of public expenditure for defense, 1.3% of GDP, Eurostat noted.

According to Eurostat data, in Central- and Eastern Europe Lithuania, Latvia and Poland invested 1.6% of GDP in defense expenses, while Croatia 1.2%, Bulgaria 1.1%, Slovakia 1.0%, Romania and Slovenia 0.9%, Hungary and the Czech Republic 0,7%, all under the EU average. (ANSA).

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