ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic said on Friday that by year's end she would send into retirement the military chief-of-staff, Gen. Petar Stipetic, as well as another 24 army officers, between the ranks of
brigadier and general, because they met retirement conditions.
ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic said on
Friday that by year's end she would send into retirement the
military chief-of-staff, Gen. Petar Stipetic, as well as another 24
army officers, between the ranks of brigadier and general, because
they met retirement conditions. #L#
Choosing Stipetic's successor will not be easy and the solution
will be found in consultations with the President's Office and the
Armed Forces General Staff, Antunovic told reporters.
She said the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence were ready for
the announced restructuring. In reducing staff, special attention
will be paid to fairness and the need to economise, she stated.
Speaking of priorities, Antunovic stated the army and the ministry
would employ new people to replace those who would be sent into
retirement or provided for otherwise. Another priority is bringing
military equipment and weapons up to date. This process will be
stepped up by reactivating the domestic military industry which
Antunovic said had a long tradition but was now devastated.
Speaking of drawing closer to NATO, the minister said Croatia was
not ready yet but probably would be at the time of NATO's second
enlargement wave.
(hina) ha sb