The High Council of Public Finances expressed concern in a public opinion on Wednesday about the compatibility between the state’s spending control and the increase in credits allocated to the armed forces.
Even though the language is cautious and technical, the opinion is severe. The High Council of Public Finances, attached to the Court of Auditors, issued a critical opinion on the update of the military programming law presented on the same day at the council of ministers. The magistrates doubt that the new trajectory, which increases the 2024-2030 MTP by 36 billion euros, is compatible with the country’s budget situation, intended to contain or even reduce its deficit.
“The provisions of the update project cannot be compatible with the spending objectives of the public finance programming law,” they write, highlighting the contradictions between the different objectives. While the Court does not criticize the legitimacy of increasing defense spending, which is set at 436 billion euros over five years plus 13 billion in off-budget revenues, it raises concerns, as it has done before, about the state’s lifestyle.
[Context: The High Council of Public Finances expressed concern about the financial sustainability of increasing defense spending while maintaining control over the state’s budget deficit.]
[Fact Check: The opinion was issued by the High Council of Public Finances and attached to the Court of Auditors, highlighting potential contradictions in the government’s defense spending plans.]
