SIZE OF BH FEDERATION ARMY MUST BE REDUCED BY APRIL 1

SARAJEVO, Feb 20 (Hina) - The Army of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina should be reduced from the current 8,000 to 5,000 officers and soldiers by April 1, however, the procedure could be brought into question after the Federation government decided to give the laid-off smaller severance pays than in the past, Federation Defence Minister Miroslav Nikolic said in Sarajevo on Friday.#L# The size of the armies of the two Bosnian entities must be reduced this year within the integral reorganisation of the country's defence system which, among else, foresees the establishment of a state level defence ministry and the general and the operations staff which would have real control over all military units. The overall number of soldiers in Bosnia this year should be slightly over 8,000. The Federation Defence Ministry had moved that severance pays of some EUR5,000 be paid to all those who voluntarily sign in for the lay-off, but the Federation government on Thursday decided that severance pays would amount to only EUR3,000. Such a decision is based on guidelines from the International Monetary Fund. "I am very disappointed with this decision," Minister Nikolic told reporters, adding that it would be difficult to meet deadlines for reducing the size of the armed forces which has been set as a condition for Bosnia's joining NATO's Partnership for Peace Programme. (Hina) it sb