ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - This has been a successful year for Croatia's Defence Ministry and Armed Forces, notably due to the successful reorganisation of the defence sector, outgoing Minister Zeljka Antunovic and military
Chief-of-Staff Josip Lucic said at a Christmas reception at the ministry on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - This has been a successful year for
Croatia's Defence Ministry and Armed Forces, notably due to the
successful reorganisation of the defence sector, outgoing Minister
Zeljka Antunovic and military Chief-of-Staff Josip Lucic said at a
Christmas reception at the ministry on Tuesday. #L#
General Lucic said that because of the reorganisation about 8,000
had had to be let go from the military, seven guard brigades had been
restructured into four, and the country had been reorganised from
six into four military districts.
Combat aircraft and helicopters have been modernised, while the
purchase of new tanks made in Croatia has been rounded up, Lucic
said.
He highlighted the participation of a Croatian military police
platoon in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in
Afghanistan, adding that the Croatian army was preparing for new
peace missions.
Antunovic too said 2003 had been successful and that reorganisation
and downsizing in defence had been carried out without any
problems.
(hina) ha sb