Prime Minister Andrej Plenković confirmed that the budget for the next year will see increased allocations for the defense system, but that this amount, considering that Croatia is in the process of exiting excessive budget deficit, will not be 2 percent of GDP, which is NATO’s recommendation.
Plenković emphasized at the 2nd International Security Conference organized by the Foundation of the Croatian Statehood and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Croatia that one of the priorities of his government is the development of the National Security Strategy and the draft proposal for the Law on the Homeland Security System, in order for Croatia to strengthen its defense capabilities and be able to respond to security threats as a member of NATO and the EU, reports HRT.
Both Prime Minister Plenković and Defense Minister Damir Krstičević highlighted the importance of stopping the previous negative trends regarding defense allocations. Investing in defense is investing in our own security and I believe that this government will stop the negative trends regarding the defense budget, said Krstičević.
Krstičević reminded that in 2008, the budget of the Ministry of Defense amounted to 5.2 billion kuna, while this year it is 4.2 billion, which is 26 percent less.
