Bosnia and Herzegovina allocates only 0.9 percent of GDP for defense, which is far from the goal of two percent recommended by NATO to its members. The armed forces of BiH currently lack about 1,500 professional military personnel, as well as equipment according to NATO standards that would improve land and air mobility.
According to the latest data, the majority of the 32 members of the NATO alliance do not allocate two percent of GDP for defense, while, on the other hand, when it comes to the region, Serbia, which, like BiH, is also not a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, only spent on defense last year one billion and 510 million dollars, which is about two percent of Serbia’s GDP and that is the largest amount in the country’s recent history set aside for defense.
Increasing the allocation of GDP, from the current 0.9 to the projected two percent, would create positive conditions for the overall progress of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, increase their efficiency, training, professionalism, interoperability and compatibility with the forces of NATO member countries and the European Union. they believe in the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As for weapons and military equipment, the Ministry says that what is currently missing most is equipment according to NATO standards that would improve land and air mobility.
They emphasize that the Armed Forces developed 16 projects through which they clearly determined the needs for their future modernization.
“In the future, we expect that the planned financial resources for the implementation of the mentioned modernization projects will be available, i.e. at the disposal of the Armed Forces of BiH in order to implement them and improve the level of equipment of the commands and units of the Armed Forces of BiH”, the Ministry points out.
They also add that the current movement and level of implementation of the approved budget did not follow the dynamics and level of development and equipment needs of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, they note, is below the level of financing of the armed forces of the surrounding countries, as well as international trends in general.
Given that part of the equipment was worn out, and the same was inherited from the entity armies, part of the equipment and resources intended to fill the commands and units of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina was also acquired through donations. Donations and financial assistance for the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are realized through international agreements and contracts signed by the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina or the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the Ministry.
In this sense, they highlight the acquisitions through the donation program with friendly countries of motor vehicles, equipment for the UXO destruction and demining unit, where new motor vehicles for the transport of EOD teams’ equipment and the most modern robotic protective equipment for EOD team members were acquired, as well as the necessary equipment for air forces, military police and the Light Infantry Battalion Group.
As they point out, they expect maximum support from the competent institutions in the implementation of the Procurement and Equipping Plan of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was conceived on development principles, not only through budget funds, but also through other guarantees allowed by law.
On the other hand, due to the natural cycle (retirements, expiration of contracts, etc.), currently the Armed Forces lack about 1,500 professional military personnel, and as they say, this year the plan is to hire about 1,300 new personnel.
When it comes to the eventual introduction of military service, they answer that the abolition of military service was part of the reform of the defense system in our country, thus part of an effective process of creating a single Ministry of Defense of BiH and a single, modern and operational Armed Forces of BiH.
“The eventual introduction of mandatory military service would require detailed analysis and planning, and only on the basis of the developed plan could we talk about all the aspects that would affect such a complex process as the introduction of military service would be for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, they state and add that, based on the above, the BiH Ministry of Defense believes that the necessary conditions for elaborating on this topic have not been met, Fena writes.
