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OSCE reiterates the call for affordable armed forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina
BANJA LUKA 4 March 2002
BANJA LUKA, 4 March 2002 - At a meeting in Banja Luka today the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina conveyed to the Republika Srpska political leadership the urgent need to bring its military expenditure in line with approved budgets.
The conclusions of the 2000 Defence Expenditure Review were outlined and corrective actions for the 2002 defence budget were proposed. It was stressed that essential decisions need to be taken as soon as possible.
The meeting in Banja Luka follows a similar meeting with the Federation political and military leadership on 28 January 2002. These briefings are part of an active process aimed at increasing the transparency of defence expenditures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and at improving the quality and quantity of information available to authorities as they make these important decisions. The OSCE first highlighted the excessively high levels of defence expenditure in both Entities in an information initiative last fall, which received widespread public attention.
At the meeting the OSCE Head of Mission, Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft, stressed the need to accelerate the restructuring and transformation of the Republika Srpska armed forces. He warned that the proposed Republika Srpska defence budget for 2002 is unaffordable, and that urgent corrective actions are required.
Invited to the meeting Banja Luka were the President and Vice-President of the Republika Srpska, the Prime Minister and his key ministers, the military advisers to the State Presidency. Observers from the Federation were also present; similarly, observers from the Republika Srpska attended the briefing of the Federation political and military leadership in Sarajevo on 28 January.
The conclusions of the 2000 Defence Expenditure Review were outlined and corrective actions for the 2002 defence budget were proposed. It was stressed that essential decisions need to be taken as soon as possible.
The meeting in Banja Luka follows a similar meeting with the Federation political and military leadership on 28 January 2002. These briefings are part of an active process aimed at increasing the transparency of defence expenditures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and at improving the quality and quantity of information available to authorities as they make these important decisions. The OSCE first highlighted the excessively high levels of defence expenditure in both Entities in an information initiative last fall, which received widespread public attention.
At the meeting the OSCE Head of Mission, Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft, stressed the need to accelerate the restructuring and transformation of the Republika Srpska armed forces. He warned that the proposed Republika Srpska defence budget for 2002 is unaffordable, and that urgent corrective actions are required.
Invited to the meeting Banja Luka were the President and Vice-President of the Republika Srpska, the Prime Minister and his key ministers, the military advisers to the State Presidency. Observers from the Federation were also present; similarly, observers from the Republika Srpska attended the briefing of the Federation political and military leadership in Sarajevo on 28 January.