Defence Minister Radu Oprea warned that purchases under the European SAFE programme could become very expensive over time if Romania fails to build industrial capacity for maintenance and, partly, production alongside buying kit.

On TVR on Monday evening, Oprea said the Defence Ministry is on its planned schedule for military endowment programmes, though some contracts still need signing. “SAFE matters, the equipment we want matters, but in my view the industrial production capacities that must be built in Romania as a result of SAFE are just as important,” he said.

Without technology transfer, he added, if Romania stops at acquisition alone, “then come all the maintenance costs, all the repair costs, and if we cannot do them in Romania, everything becomes very expensive.” That is why, he argued, “we are obliged right now to make these production capacities work in Romania.”

Oprea noted that several ministries are involved in SAFE-related processes and that a law was needed so institutions can cooperate more effectively on these programmes.

The remarks come as Romania ramps up endowment and debates localising the defence industry: without repair and production bases at home, the life-cycle cost of imported systems risks weighing heavily on the budget.

The comments were made on 2 November 2026, news.ro reported, as MApN reviews the timetable for remaining programme signatures.

Source: Defence minister: without maintenance in Romania, SAFE can become very expensive (news.ro)