ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - The reorganisation of the Croatian Armed Forces is proceeding in a satisfactory manner and should be completed by the year's end, this was concluded at a meeting which Croatia's President, Premier and army
commanders held to discuss reforms in the armed forces (OS).
ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - The reorganisation of the Croatian Armed
Forces is proceeding in a satisfactory manner and should be
completed by the year's end, this was concluded at a meeting which
Croatia's President, Premier and army commanders held to discuss
reforms in the armed forces (OS). #L#
The chief commanders of all units of the army notified President
Stjepan Mesic and Premier Ivica Racan that reforms in the army were
going according to plan - the chief staff completed its
reorganisation at the end of March. By the end of June the majority
of the active staff in the military should be re-organised and the
entire process should be completed by the end of the year.
It was pointed out that despite political instability in the
neighbourhood of Croatia, at the moment there were no conventional
threats to the security of the country.
Chief-of-staff Josip Lucic pointed out that the restructuring
process has not negatively affected the level of combat readiness
or the nation's security level.
Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic said the process to cut back the
personnel had been intensified - in the first four months of this
year 423 people left the defence ministry, and 3,052 the armed
forces. In comparison to the end of last year, the number of staff in
the ministry fell from 2,939 to 2,516 and in the armed forces from
33,771 to 30,719.
A total of 4,386 applications for voluntary departure from the army
have been received to date. A particular task is for health
commissions to ascertain who is or is not fit for military service,
Minister Antunovic said.
She announced that some 'redundant' military personnel would soon
be separated for active reserves. Some promotions can be expected
too for those who had not been so far promoted but were satisfied all
the necessary requirements in the meantime.
She estimated that it was vital to decrease expenditure in the army.
One particular step is to grant redundant army complexes to various
institutions with the aim of helping develop the economy, state and
local government units and assist in bids to join NATO.
President Mesic said that reforms in the army were vital not only
because of peacetime conditions but with the aim of accepting NATO
standards. He also said commended the depoliticising of the army.
Speaking about the decreased number of military personnel, the
President warned that those officers whose knowledge could be of
benefit to Croatia should not be forgotten. "It is not good that
they who defended Croatia are not exploited properly," he said and
proposed that they be engaged in administrative and supervisory
boards in certain companies.
Premier Ivica Racan is also satisfied with the current procedure in
reorganisation of the army and expects this process to continue.
"We are aware that the security of the country and its combat
readiness will depend on the successful reorganisation that is
currently under way," Racan said.
Following the presentation of the reorganisation process, the
talks were held behind closed doors.
(hina) sp ms sb