NATO official wants Portugal to spend more on defence

LISBON, Portugal – NATO’s second-highest official has rebuked Portugal over its defence spending in a speech at a defence conference.

Alexander Vershbow, the alliance’s Deputy Secretary-General, says Portuguese investment in modern equipment last year was 8.7 per cent of overall defence spending. He says the NATO guideline is 20 per cent.

Vershbow also noted that Portugal’s defence spending in 2015 was 1.33 per cent of gross domestic product — below NATO’s commitment to 2 per cent, though slightly up on 2014. He says only five member countries meet the 2 per cent target.

Portugal went into a three-year recession in 2011, almost going bankrupt during the eurozone debt crisis. It needed a 78 billion-euro ($88.8 billion) bailout, which required the government to cut spending.

Vershbow was speaking Thursday at a defence conference at the parliament in Lisbon.