BRATISLAVA, August 20, (WEBNOVINY) – The number of Slovak peacekeepers in foreign missions is not as important for the Defense Ministry as the quality of our contribution to these operations, says Defense Minister Lubomir Galko. As he said in an interview for SITA news agency, it will not be a tragedy if the number of Slovak soldiers in the missions declined. He pointed out that if it comes to that, they will improve the quality of Slovakia’s contribution.
Based on the draft budget for next year, funds allocated for foreign missions are to decrease y/y, namely by 43.5 percent. The number of the Armed Forces members in foreign missions is to decline too, as Slovakia’s participation in Kosovo has been terminated. As of August, 560 peacekeepers were deployed in missions abroad, which is a drop by 118 from last year. The defense department will have to accommodate deployment of Slovak soldiers abroad to the allocated resources. Minister Galko said that they will have to discuss missions in Cyprus, Afghanistan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to “fit in” the budget. The minister, however, pointed out that missions maintain Slovakia’s credit in NATO, while technology that we keep at home, or how we train and fulfill the country’s commitments regarding motor fuel reserves do not help the credit.
SITA