TIRANA, January 27 – Defense Minister Pirro Vengu said today that reducing public debt and lowering the deficit are the two key criteria of good governance.

Speaking at the Parliament session, Vengu responded to remarks by PD parliamentary group leader Gazment Bardhi. He said the end-of-year budget included an increase in the Defense Ministry’s funding for the first time through a normative act.

Vengu noted that 97% of the defense budget has been executed, with 25% fully spent. He said this disproves previous claims of poor financial management.

He told the opposition that every time they accuse the government of mismanagement or theft, they should remember these facts: lower debt and a reduced deficit.

Vengu also highlighted that the normative act covered compensation for damages from the 2025 fires. He said the state responded promptly and supported affected communities.

“Within the year, this act allowed us to provide compensation to municipalities affected by the fires,” he said.

He concluded that the government stays close to citizens in need, addresses emergencies, and increases defense budgets to strengthen national security and technological sovereignty.

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