prijava
SARAJEVO, November 30 (FENA) - The defense structures of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to the specific operating conditions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the limited budget, are registering good results this year as well.
"In 2020, in addition to the pandemic and limited financial resources, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) are celebrating their fifteenth birthday with good results, which are recognized in the country and by our partners," said the BiH Defense Minister Sifet Podžić in an interview with FENA on the occasion of the AFBiH Day and the 15th anniversary of their formation.
Referring to the basic tasks within the AFBiH mission, he assessed the training of their members as a priority, i.e., the implementation of four key projects that are in the function of the Euro-Atlantic integration process and achieving a higher degree of interoperability with the armed forces of NATO member states.
When it comes to cooperation with NATO, Podžić highlights the realization of obligations from the "Reform Program", of which 72 tasks are in the competence of the defense sector, along with 16 other joint tasks with other BiH institutions.
When asked about the extent to which these obligations have been realized, the Minister of Defense is pleased to state that by the reporting period to NATO, despite the mentioned difficulties, more than 70 percent of these obligations have been realized.
"The essential obligations of defense institutions from the Reform Program document include the implementation of the 'Defense Review' and within it, the AFBiH Modernization Plan for the period 2017-2027," explains Podžić, stating that for this purpose it is necessary to provide much larger financial resources (the Modernization Plan implies an investment of 500 million KM during the mentioned ten-year period).
Furthermore, in the context of the realization of the Partnership Objectives of Cooperation with NATO, he underlines that the analysis in this area was carried out in mid-October and that an evaluation of their implementation should follow soon.
The third program of cooperation with NATO concerns operational capabilities with the aim of achieving interoperability of AFBiH units designated for NATO-led missions, and implies a certain degree of training and equipment to perform tasks within these missions.
"This year we have 27 cadets who have completed military training abroad, and in addition, more than 250 cadets are currently studying abroad," said Podžić, referring to the issue of staff renewal in the ranks of the AFBiH.
He also points out that in the segments of equipment and training there has been significant assistance and support of partner countries, which have recognized the institution worth investing in, and on a bilateral basis, we have made very significant progress.
"With the help of the Government of the United Kingdom (UK), the AFBiH has, for now, received three new clinics in the barracks "Kozara" in Banja Luka, in Dubrave in Tuzla, in Rajlovac in Sarajevo, and soon we expect a fourth clinic in the barracks 'Božan Simovic' in Čapljina to be operational," said the Minister of Defense of BiH.
He adds that with the help of the United States Government, it was previously agreed to purchase four new helicopters, a project worth 38 million US dollars, and during this year, another US donation was realized, the delivery of 14 new specialized multi-purpose vehicles (HMMWV) "Humvee" for the AFBiH, which has completed a donation of 24 Humvee vehicles from 2017, i.e., 20 vehicles, delivered in 2019, with a total value of around nine million dollars.
In accordance with the Agreement on Military Financial Assistance of the Government of the Republic of Turkey, spare parts for the overhaul of helicopters owned by the AFBiH were donated in the amount of about 1.5 million dollars, and a more extensive agreement will be signed with the Turkish government on the modernization and equipping of the AFBiH.
In the meantime, the People's Republic of China donated 15 engineering machines with a total value of around 2.4 million KM, which significantly strengthened the capacities of the Engineering Battalion of the AFBiH.
Responding to an inquiry regarding the resolution of the issue of military property, Podžić states that this process, unfortunately, is not proceeding at the desired pace, and that so far 31 promising locations out of a total of 57 have been registered as the property of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
When asked about resolving surplus weapons and landmines (MiMES), he answered that significant progress has been made in that process, and that about 5,000 tons of ammunition and about 40,000 pieces of weapons remained, and once they are destroyed, this will mark the end the process.
He also states that progress has been made in the field of marking small arms and light weapons, as well as securing and modernizing military depots, which also shows significant assistance from NATO and EUFOR, as well as the Kingdom of Norway and other friendly countries.
Focusing on the issue of financing the defense sector, Minister Podžić reminds that the defense budget is insufficient and that the share of military expenditures is continuously declining from 2009 to 2020, from an average of 1.27 percent of GDP to below 0,9 percent of GDP as it is now.
"We in the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of BiH are aware of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, economic situation and priorities, but I would like to mention that the mentioned trends date from an earlier period and that the state of BiH in 2017 undertook to modernize AFBiH from 2017. by 2027, and invest 500 million KM.
Therefore, in the coming period, I expect much greater support through increasing the defense budget so that we can perform tasks from the BiH Reform Program, and at the same time ensure the required level of operational capabilities of the AFBiH," said the BiH Defense Minister Sifet Podžić in an interview with FENA.
On this occasion, Podžić extended congratulations the Ministry of Defense and members of the Armed Forces on the occasion of the AFBiH Day, December 1 and the 15th anniversary of their formation, wishing them to preserve their health and the health of their families in specific circumstances of the pandemic and to mark the next anniversary with even stronger and the more professional BiH Armed Forces.
(FENA) S. R.
