Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces one of the few armies in the world not using military kitchens

Close to nine million BAM was spent by the state on warm meals for employees of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2016, the Patria agency was confirmed by the Public Relations Office of the Ministry of Defence. 
The Armed Forces of BiH are one of the few, or perhaps the only, armies in the world whose members receive money to buy food, instead of eating in a military kitchen, which is also a practice of the world's largest armies.

Security and defence professor from Sarajevo, Nedžad Ahatović, says that the BiH army could save several million BAM annually just by opening a military kitchen where capacities exist, and the money saved could be used for soldier insurance, renovation of the Armed Forces' vehicle fleet, which is in a rather poor condition, or for other necessary purposes.

- Minister of Defence Marina Pendeš must put an end to illogical solutions. For starters, she can initiate the abolition of cash payments for warm meals for members of the Armed Forces, and invest these funds in establishing central kitchens at facility level, or have more facilities supplied from one kitchen – Ahatović believes.

- The logistical structure within the Armed Forces of BiH should take responsibility for feeding all soldiers, where possible – says Ahatović. 

The Ministry of Defence employs around 360 people, and the Armed Forces around 9,000. The state allocates about 285 million BAM annually for their needs. Although these are huge funds for the state budget of BiH, they are insufficient for the AFBiH. New allocations are being sought to modernize the army.

Ahatović does not dispute that the AFBiH needs new investments to improve quality, but believes that much can be improved by properly reallocating existing funds.

He criticizes that Minister Pendeš is most concerned with politics and least with her job, writes NAP.