Minister Kotromanović visits Slovenian Ministry of Defence

 

During the meeting both sides confirmed the very high level of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, which is also evident from the annual program of cooperation involving a wide range of activities, including joint participation in military exercises.

The two ministers also discussed regional cooperation, with emphasis that both Croatia and Slovenia were very active in several regional initiatives.

Minister Kotromanović emphasized the friendship and partnership between the two countries and stressed that this year we have planned 41 joint military activities.

Minister Hojs used the occasion and expressed a desire for cooperation between the two countries in the field of aviation medicine, where the Slovenian Air Force pilots would perform medical examinations in the Croatian Institute of Aviation Medicine.

The ministers also exchanged experiences on the participation in peace support missions and operations, with emphasis on the importance of KFOR operation in Kosovo for stability and peace in the region.

They also stressed the successful cooperation in the ISAF operation in Afghanistan, where mentors work together in the School of Military Police in Kabul.

Regarding the issue of Slovenian Armed Forces participation in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan Slovenian Minister said that Slovenia remains committed to the Lisbon Treaty.

The two ministers said that the NATO Summit in Chicago was successful and agreed that a strong message of allies’ unity on the issue of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and the role of NATO after the 2014 was sent.

The ministers also discussed the possibilities of cooperation and joint use of capacities within the NATO concept of “Smart Defence” where Minister Kotromanović pointed out that we have a number of joint projects which we can develop together in the future in order to maintain existing capacities and save budgetary funds. One of them, as mentioned by Minister Kotromanović, was cooperation in surveillance and protection of the maritime border on the Adriatic Sea.

Minister Kotromanović at the end thanked Minister Hojs on the meeting, saying he expected to continue the very successful collaboration in the future as well.

During the visit to the Slovenian Ministry of Defence, Minister Kotrmanović also visited the Franc Rozman Stane barracks, where he met members of the 1^st Brigade of the Slovenian Armed Forces and members of the 17^th Military Police Battalion of the Slovenian Armed Forces. At the end of the visit, Minister Kotrmanović met representatives of the Slovenian parliament’s Defence Committee.

Video of the visit of Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović to Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia can be viewed here.

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