BRATISLAVA, February 1, (WEBNOVINY) — At a meeting of top brass of the armed forces to assess the outcome last year’s tasks on Tuesday, President of the Slovak Republic Ivan Gasparovic, who is also the commander-in-chief, said the army is in a crisis. Political support to fulfillment of goals and tasks of Slovakia’s defense and security policy often remains only on the theoretical level. “Slovak governments keep reducing defense spending,“ the president said and added that this negative trend continues this year as well. He reminded that Slovakia pledged to earmark two percent of GDP for defense when it joined NATO but spending on this segment only reached a little over one percent of GDP last year. “Austerities, which also affected the Defense Ministry, impacted the initial plan of rationalization and modernization of the armed forces,“ added the president. Declarations like “we will definitely fulfill the tasks“ or “we will to everything necessary to fulfill our tasks“ have always resonated in these assessments. “I am not sure anymore whether I should take this approach as funny or desperate. I do not know whether you are magicians or you will keep pretending that everything is all right,“ said the president but at the same time he appreciated that it was the first time he heard the chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces say that there was a crisis in the army. He called on the minister of defense, parliamentary deputies, and army leaders to open a discussion on the next year’s budget now.
The Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic General Lubomir Bulik emphasized several times during the assessment of last year on Tuesday that assigned tasks were met with some limitations. “Technical lifespan of most weapon systems is expiring and serviceability of machines and materials is decreasing due to insufficient reserves of spare parts, servicing and repairs. Prescribed inventory is not available in many defense commodities. Infrastructure as well as training facilities are often insufficient. We focus on meeting continuously shrinking priorities in training,“ stressed General Bulik. The chief of General Staff finds this year critical. Nevertheless, he reminded that the army would secure meeting tasks in international operations and missions – ISAF, ALTHEA and UNFICYP – to the required extent, secure protection of the airspace of Slovakia and boost readiness for fulfillment of tasks regarding non-military critical situations on the territory of Slovakia.
SITA