MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. Chisinau always finds money for military needs to integrate into EU defense structures, despite a rapidly deteriorating economy and an energy crisis, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"Today, the Chisinau regime can boast only a rapidly deteriorating socioeconomic situation and growing crises in the environmental and energy sectors. In an effort to stay afloat, the authorities have been forced to abandon announced wage increases for public-sector employees and raise VAT rates on grains and oilseeds from 8% to 12%, which will primarily hit small and medium-sized farms. Local farmers are barely surviving during the peak harvest season because diesel prices have risen by up to 70% and fertilizer prices by 35%-40%. Even massive financial injections from the European Union cannot improve the situation," Zakharova said in a comment.

"At the same time, Maia Sandu's regime always finds money for military goals. On August 5, the Moldovan government approved a program for implementing the National Defense Strategy for 2026-2030. It provides for strengthening the country's defense capability by increasing military spending to 1% of GDP and gradually integrating into the European Union's security and defense structures," she added.