* Romania"s military industry is focusing predominantly on the EU and on NATO, because the Romanian army lacks funds

Our defense equipment looks outstanding, but it is built with logistics and verification tools from the 1920, Vasile Marius Crişan, the general manager of "Romarm" said yesterday, and he added: "We had a customer who was interested in one of our products and he told me: < The products look exceptional, but they have been made with logistics and tools from the 1920s >". He said that Romania produces advanced equipment: "We have low-and high-caliber assault weapons and ammunition, and all of them are top level. We have a military technology sector and we manufacture Armored Personnel Carriers. One of our contracts with the National Ministry of Defense concerns the manufacturing of 8x8 APCs".

The defense industry is going through a rough patch, especially lately, after the passing of two European directives regulating the sector, says Viorel Manole, the executive director of the Professional Association of Military Equipment Manufacturers of Bucharest (PATROMIL): "We are making major efforts to become part of the strategy for the development of the market, otherwise we won"t be able to handle the next weapons buying programs. (...) The EU wants a European market for defense equipment. Soon, member countries will no longer buy military equipment without verifying everything, including the origins of the raw materials. This is an advantage for us".

Officials of the defense industry, who were present yesterday at this year"s edition of the military equipment exhibition- Expomil 2011 - stressed that Romania "focuses predominantly on the EU and NATO, because the Romanian army is lacking money".

All the aforementioned speakers said in unison that "Expomil" is intended to help identify opportunities for developing military equipmen