SARAJEVO, April 12 (Hina) - More than a thousand Bosnian Federation soldiers have signed voluntary redundancy packages releasing them from military service. This marked the commencement of implementation of the decision to decrease
the federal army by 10,000, Bosnian Federation Deputy Defence Minister Ferid Buljubasic reported in Sarajevo on Friday.
SARAJEVO, April 12 (Hina) - More than a thousand Bosnian Federation
soldiers have signed voluntary redundancy packages releasing them
from military service. This marked the commencement of
implementation of the decision to decrease the federal army by
10,000, Bosnian Federation Deputy Defence Minister Ferid
Buljubasic reported in Sarajevo on Friday. #L#
At a press conference conducted in honour of the tenth anniversary
of the founding of the Bosnian Army, Buljubasic said that by the end
April similar packages were expected to be signed by all those who
have expressed their desire for voluntary release.
They were all guaranteed redundancy payments amounting to 10,000
Convertible Marks. The funds for this purpose will be secured
through loans from commercial banks.
The decision to decreasing the military in Bosnia came when the
Federation estimated that it could not afford to maintain an army of
over 23,000 soldiers, as this required virtually a quarter of the
country's budget.
The federal army should be brought down to 13,200 soldiers in the
second half of the year, while before the beginning of next year the
army in Republika Srpska should be decreased to 6,600 soldiers.
Buljubasic stressed, however, that this would not be the final
move. "We are faced with a great deal more with regard to
restructuring our military, he said, emphasising that the final
objective was for Bosnia to have a unified army with at most ten and
a half thousand soldiers.
(hina) sp sb