Due to the non-adoption of the budget, the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BiH face financial challenges

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sifet Podžić received the Acting First Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs of the USA Stanley Brown and the Ambassador of the USA to BiH H.E. Eric Nelson in an official visit.

They discussed the achievements so far in the field of military cooperation between BiH and the USA, and the possibilities for expanding that cooperation. Minister Podžić emphasized that the US Government is the largest and most reliable partner when it comes to assistance in equipping the Armed Forces of BiH. He highlighted the financial challenges facing the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of BiH due to the fact that this year's budget has not yet been passed. He also mentioned the complex political circumstances that often represent an obstacle to the further modernization of the Armed Forces of BiH.

Ambassador Nelson stated that significant results achieved by the Armed Forces of BiH in assisting citizens and civilian institutions in cases of various natural disasters and in peacekeeping missions are noticeable. He noted that the Ministry of Defence of BiH, with its organization and activities, can be a paradigm and an example for other ministries at the state level in BiH, especially concerning BiH's path towards NATO.

In his capacity as Acting First Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs of the USA, Stanley Brown oversees the US conventional arms destruction program, the US State Department's activities in building capacity for peacekeeping operations abroad, and related efforts in security cooperation. Brown expressed his conviction that further efforts to modernize the Armed Forces of BiH, with the help of the USA, will be successful, for the benefit of all citizens of BiH.

The meeting was also attended by the Assistant Minister of Defence of BiH for International Cooperation Zoran Šajinović, Deputy Chief of Mission of the USA to BiH Deborah Mennuti, US Defence Attaché to BiH Colonel Michael Tarquinto, and other associates.