"We have opened wide the door to NATO," Raboteg said, adding that NATO experts had recognised Croatia's readiness for independent defence planning, which indicated that NATO standards had been adopted.
Last year Croatia started the fifth cycle of the Membership Action Plan, which defines the obligations of all state structures regarding NATO membership, and it is realistic to expect NATO to invite Croatia next year to join, Raboteg said.
The security situation and threat and risk estimates show that conventional threats, i.e. the threat of war, are not very likely, but that the threat of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction has grown bigger, which is why the Armed Forces are developing specific defence capabilities.
Last year Croatia adopted a long-term plan for the development of the Armed Forces until 2015, as a basic document for the adoption of NATO standards. The country also adopted defence policy and planning and started investing into staff training, equipment and modernisation of all three army branches, Raboteg said.
Budgetary allocations for the military have been increased to draw closer to the required two percent of GDP (in 2007 they make up 1.74 percent of GDP and in 2006 accounted for 1.69 percent of GDP). The reduction of the Armed Forces has continued and the current number of military staff is slightly less than 24,000. The plan is to have 10,000 active members, 2,000 voluntary conscripts, and 8,000 contract reservists by 2010, Raboteg said.
A major contribution to the development of the Armed Forces' potential is the participation of Croatian soldiers in joint military exercises and operations, notably peace missions like the one in Afghanistan, Raboteg said.
Speaking of problems in the military, Raboteg pointed to obsolete equipment, announcing that the situation in that area would soon improve significantly.