Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Defense Minister Sifet Podzic met with a delegation from the United States Embassy in BiH, led by US Defense Attaché to BiH Brigadier Michael Tarquinto on Wednesday.
The meeting discussed a large number of successful cooperation programs that have been implemented so far, as well as those planned for implementation between the two partner countries, such as FMS, FMF, IMET, National Partnership Program (SPP), as well as the program ” Army to Army “, which is realized with the Federal State of Maryland, it was announced from the Ministry of Defense of BiH on Wednesday.
The interlocutors exchanged information related to the document “Reform Program”, as well as the implementation of the document “BiH Defense Review” and the modernization of the BiH Armed Forces.
Minister Podzic emphasized that the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of BiH have completed most of the obligations related to the MoD and AF BiH despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but that there are also challenges and certain obstacles that are related to insufficient financial resources in the budget for defense of BiH and that it is necessary to make maximum efforts to improve the situation in this segment.
Brigadier Michael Tarquinto and Major Grozdanic reiterated the US Government’s commitment to continue assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina in the coming period, saying the United States strongly supports BiH on the path to reform and is committed to further strengthening defense cooperation.
That the support and assistance of the USA to Bosnia and Herzegovina is not just a mere letter on paper is confirmed by the Plan of bilateral military cooperation between the Ministry of Defense of BiH and the Ministry of Defense of the USA for 2021, signed today.
It was signed on behalf of the BiH MoD and the US MoD, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Cooperation Zoran Sajinovic and the US Defense Attaché to BiH, Brigadier Michael Tarquinto.
The statement states that the implementation of the planned activities from the Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan will further strengthen the cooperation between the two ministries and the Armed Forces, which will result in additional strengthening of the capabilities and capacities of the BiH Armed Forces. to rise to an even higher level.
