Defence Council says dynamic of equipping, modernising army should be maintained

At a session on Tuesday, the Defence Council agreed that the existing dynamic of implementation of key projects for the equipment and modernisation of the Armed Forces should be maintained, notably with regard to the upgrading of radar systems monitoring Croatia's maritime area, and that an expert study on models for the modernisation of the Air Force's combat component in 2015 should be made.

The Defence Council underlined the need to keep the defence budget at the current level and increase it gradually, in line with Croatia's real economic potential, read a statement issued after the session.

"In a constructive discussion involving all Council members, it was stated that the existing dynamic of implementing key projects for the equipment and modernisation of the Armed Forces, as outlined in the Long-Term Plan for the Development of the Armed Forces for the period 2015-2024, should be maintained. Apart from coastal patrol boats, modern PzH-2000 artillery systems and other modernisation programmes, attention was particularly drawn to the priority of upgrading radar systems for the monitoring of Croatia's maritime area, as well as to the need to make a study on models for the streamlining of the Air Force's combat component in 2015," the statement said.

"For the purpose of analysing and defining long-term processes of upgrading and raising the overall capabilities of Croatia's defence system, as well as for the purpose of multi-year planning of human, material and financial resources, the need was underlined to draw up and adopt key strategic documents in the field of defence and national security," reads the statement released by the prime minister's office.

The session of the Defence Council was held at the Office of the President and was convened by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic.
It was attended by all members of the Defence Council and introductory addresses were made by Defence Minister Ante Kotromanovic and the Armed Forces' Chief-of-Staff, General Drago Lovric.
Finance Minister Boris Lalovac, too, confirmed to the press that the meeting discussed the need for the defence budget to be stable.

(Hina) rml

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