(Source: Daily News Bulletin; Moscow - English)
TALLINN. Nov 29 (Interfax) - Estonian Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo believes Estonia should increase its defense spending to 2% of its GDP.
Speaking to Estonian TV and radio broadcasting company on Saturday, Aaviksoo said the August crisis in the Caucasus showed the need for Estonia to increase its defense spending.
"If we don't do this, it could be too late. And then 20% of the Estonian people might be sent away to Siberia or shot," he said.
Considering the latest developments in the world, Estonia will not switch from compulsory general military service to a contract army, Aaviksoo said. "Taking into account the current conditions, there are no plans to change the existing model in the foreseeable future," he said.
"We have developed this mixed model combining a professional core and a reserve army quite well, and our partners, NATO military consultants, have appraised it and admitted that, considering our geographical location and our security risks, this is a reasonable model," Aaviksoo said. "I think we will continue developing it," he said.
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