"It is necessary for the country to establish the coast guard, which will together with the Navy, protect the Croatian Adriatic in cooperation with authorities of ports, the maritime police and others," President Mesic said addressing officers, noncommissioned officers, sailors and guests who gathered in Split on Saturday for the central celebration of Croatian Navy Day, marked on 18 September.
The head of state went on to say that after the Homeland Defence War, the country's armed forces embarked on the path of reform so as to adjust themselves to NATO standards, which led to new commitments.
Mesic said that considerably higher funds would be allocated in the next period for the training of the staff and the renovation of the Navy's fleet so as to meet the alliance's criteria.
Defence Minister Berislav Roncevic said that priorities in the defence sector were the preservation of the country's territorial integrity as well as admission to NATO. "To attain these objectives, you as the trained personnel, are needed and we also need up-to-date technology," the minister added.
The Croatian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff, General Josip Lucic said that ten years ago the army had 200,000 members in comparison to 2,500 staff today. In the war Croatia spent 40 percent of the national budget for the military purposes and today, this spending item was 20 times lower.
"We have made great, almost maximum, economies in this sector so as to establish a small, modern and efficient army," Lucic said adding that the reform in the armed forces led to the saving of over 100 billion kuna (13.5 billion euros).
After the ceremony of promoting several officers to higher ranks, President Mesic attended a manoeuvre carried out by Navy commandos.