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Baska: No More Lay-offs Planned in Defence Sector Despite Budget Cuts
Tuesday 15 December 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, December 15 (TASR) - The defence sector isn't planning to lay-off any more employees, said Defence Minister Jaroslav Baska at a briefing in Bratislava on Tuesday.
Over 2,000 people including professional soldiers have left the sector over the past 15 months. We want to stabilise the remaining personnel, said Baska.
Baska told President Ivan Gasparovic at their meeting on Tuesday that the sector has three priorities: international crisis management missions (maintaining the status quo and at the same time increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011), protecting air space within NATINAC and the air search and rescue service.
Baska also said that if resources aren't found outside of the defence sector budget, large modernisation projects will have to be postponed. He also informed the president of current problematic areas in the army. These are connected especially with insufficient funds, and Baska told Gasparovic what measures have been adopted to limit the problems. He also briefed the president on plans for next year.
Gasparovic said that he is happy that the army has fulfilled the tasks set for this year. He noted that it is the army that has been affected most by reductions in budgetary resources for next year. The president at the same time expressed his satisfaction with the work of Slovak troops in foreign missions.
"If I were to comment on certain steps that the army will have to take in the future, it is a matter of improving legislative processes that the ministry has in relation to the army and reorganisation," said Gasparovic.
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