Minister Bozinovic visits Croatian Navy
Defence Minister Davor Bozinovic visited on Monday, February 28, the Croatian Navy in Split. After the Minister paid honour to fallen members of the Navy in the Homeland War in the memorial room at the Navy Headquarters in Lora Naval Base, he held a meeting with the Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ante Urlic and his closest associates.
Minister of Defence was accompanied by the MOD State Secretary Mate Raboteg and Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Slavko Baric. Presentation on the activities, tasks, equipment and missions of the Navy with a special emphasis on its role in protecting national interests at sea was held by the Navy Commander Rear Admiral Urlic. He pointed out the rich international activities of the Navy, about a hundred annually, and on the six Navy force goals.
Expressing satisfaction with the visit, Minister Bozinovic said that the Croatian Navy has shown that it was able to protect our national interests at sea, but that in line with global changes it must adapt to new circumstances. The foreground activities of the navies of other countries, and so the activities of our Navy as well, have become different from the traditional ones. Those are engaging in the fight against terrorism, piracy, illegal trafficking and other asymmetric threats. “Many other countries have this transition and we will not stay behind”, Bozinovic said, adding that “apart from changes in performing its tasks, new tasks require new equipment and innovations in training”. Minister Bozinovic pointed to the importance of the Coast Guard, and in this context on the importance to build new patrol ships. “The preliminary design has been drafted and will soon go onto the tender”, he said.
He noted that the nature of nowadays threats excluded the possibility of independent actions. Cooperation with the navies of other countries is necessary, especially with the navies of our neighbouring countries, all with the aim of protecting natural resources and safety of navigation.
Recalling the rich tradition of Navy, Minister Bozinovic said that the Navy worked well, but that it should strive for excellence. His conclusion was that this was the year in which we would adopt strategic documents which must be in accordance with the reality and possibilities.
During his stay in the Navy Minister Bozinovic with his associates also visited the Navy Command Operations Centre, Sector Operations Centre for Air Surveillance, Centre for Training, signal vehicles and mobile coastal launchers, missile gunboats Vukovar and King Zvonimir, and Faust Vrancic training ship.