Annual National Programme of the Republic of Slovenia for the
Implementation of the Membership Action Plan 2003 - 2004 (Executive
Summary)
Slovenia considers that the invitation to join NATO provided it
with an enhanced opportunity to contribute, together with other
members of the Alliance, to security and stability of the
Euro-Atlantic area. As a NATO member, Slovenia wants to take on the
responsibility to maintain and strengthen the capabilities of the
Alliance, and contribute to its abilities to respond efficiently to
contemporary security threats.
1. Political Economic Issues
National Security Policy
Slovenia is actively participating in the international anti-terrorist
coalition and it is in this regard implementing a range of legislative
and other measures. Following the Declaration of the National Assembly
(October 2001) on the joint fight against terrorism, the Government
adopted relevant decisions delegating to individual ministries
specific activities in the fight against terrorism. For this purpose,
in January 2003, the Restrictive Measures Act provided for the
establishment of an inter-ministerial working group.
Slovenia has also intensified its efforts in the fight against the
phenomena such as organised crime, illegal migration and trafficking
in human beings. The adopted measures in particular regard border
control and exchange of intelligence.
Slovenia has adopted a series of measures in the field of export of
dual-use goods, and of production of military weapons and
equipment. It has joined the politically binding EU Code of Conduct on
Arms Transfers, and proposed the establishment of a contact point for
SALW to complement the existing cooperation mechanisms in South
Eastern Europe.
Political framework of preparations for NATO membership
On the basis of a constitutional law (February 2003), a referendum on
Slovenia's accession to NATO was successfully carried out in March
2003. After the referendum, the Government continues to regularly
provide the public with information about the process of integration
into the Alliance. This is aimed at strengthening public support for
Slovenia's active role in NATO and at consolidating positive image of
NATO in the public.
Slovenia is a party to all the important international instruments
on human rights protection. It guarantees the rights of members of
national, ethnic and other communities. Slovenian anti-discriminatory
legislation is aligned with the European Union acquis. In July 2002,
the Government adopted the Decision on Slovenia's Migration Policy,
which includes measures for the active prevention of discrimination,
xenophobia and racism against migrants.
In 2003 the Government drew up a new Strategy of the Further
Development of Slovenian Public Sector in 2003-2005. The aim of the
strategy is to continue the project of development and modernisation
of public administration.
The Supreme Court was allocated additional funds for the
elimination of judicial backlogs. Projects aimed at increasing
flexibility in assigning judges to courts experiencing backlogs were
being implemented.
In January 2003, the Government adopted a report on the
acceleration of denationalisation procedures, and the timeframe for
the completion of the denationalisation process at first and second
instances. Whether the denationalisation process proceeds as planned
is checked every three months. The process is expected to be completed
by the end of 2005.
Relations with Croatia and regional cooperation
Since the independence of the two countries, 40 bilateral agreements
have been signed between Slovenia and Croatia. The relations between
the two countries have recently been influenced by the announcement of
Croatia's intention to unilaterally proclaim an exclusive economic
zone in the Adriatic Sea. Expert groups of the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs of the two countries held a meeting on 16 September 2003 on
Slovenia's initiative. Slovenia is in favour of a multilateral
solution to the issue of protection of the Adriatic Sea on the basis
of a dialogue on an equal footing.
Slovenia continues to be active in the regional initiatives: in
2003 it is chairing the Central European Free Trade Area (CEFTA), the
Quadrilaterale, and the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII). In 2004
Slovenia will chair the Central European Initiative (CEI) and in 2005
the OSCE.
Economic issues
Slovenia continues implementing structural and institutional reforms
that ensure conditions for a well functioning market economy. The
legal framework is mostly prepared and harmonised with the EU
acquis. Slovenia's proactive industrial policy is implemented in two
correlative directions, i.e. by horizontal measures for the promotion
of entrepreneurship and competitiveness as well as by measures of
assisting enterprises in difficulties and by branch programmes for the
adjustment of Slovenian textile, clothing, leather and shoe industries
to the EU internal market.
Slovenia maintains relative economic stability. To boost the
efficiency of its economy and economic growth the Government will
further focus on increasing the economy's flexibility and on
bolstering the competitiveness before Slovenia's integration with the
EU; bringing inflation down before Slovenia's entering into the ERM2
and enhancing sustainable economic and employment growth. The Gross
domestic product growth for 2003 is estimated at 2.6%, in 2004 and
2005 GDP is expected to grow 3.6 and 3.7%, respectively, and in 2006
it is expected again to reach 4%.
2. Defence and Military Affairs
Defence plans and policy
During the preparations for NATO membership, relevant legislation
pertaining to the participation in collective defence has been
adopted. In addition, a legal basis was provided for the transition to
a fully professional force with a voluntary reserve by 2010, and in
turn, for the termination of conscription and compulsory reserve
service by 2004 and 2010, respectively.
Strategic Defence Review (SDR)
The Strategic Defence Review which has been underway since April 2002
will serve as the basis for the preparation of the Defence Reform
Action Plan up to 2008, the General Long-Term Plan for the Development
and Equipping of the SAF up to 2015, Guidance for the Period of
2004-2009, the Medium-Term Defence Programme 2005- 2010, and the
synthesis of activities in connection with NATO integration. Defence
reforms will be focused primarily on changes to the defence doctrine,
leadership, organisation, human resources policy, training, and to the
provision of materiel and infrastructure. The SDR and all of the
subsequent documents will reflect also preliminary NATO force
requirements as set out in the draft force proposals 2004. The key
efforts in the implementation of the defence reforms will be aimed at
the reorganisation of the SAF and MoD, modernisation and equipping in
order to provide operational capabilities, and the professionalisation
of the SAF.
Planning
By the time Slovenia is integrated into NATO, Slovenia will have
introduced defence planning, comparable with NATO defence planning. In
order to achieve this goal a draft Defence Planning Methodology is due
to be approved this Autumn. Based on this methodology a new Regulation
on Defence Planning in the MoD will be approved by the end of
2003. This document will systematically regulate defence planning in
the MoD.
Key components of the comprehensive defence planning developed by
Slovenia, along with the activities for its implementation ensure that
the defence planning system is effective and in line with the NATO
defence planning process.
Legal framework of defence policy
The primary goals of the personnel policy and of the development of
the human resources management system are to have an organisational
structure comparable to the one established in allied countries and to
support key processes in the defence system with adequate human
resources plans and plans for their implementation.
In 2002 the transformation of the MoD organisational structure and
the integration of the key working processes were initiated in order
to provide support for the SAF reorganisation with an adequate
personnel policy, i.e. a transparent human resources management and
planning system.
Taking into consideration the requirements arising out of the
changed SAF manning principles, elements have been established and are
being executed for the system of personnel recruiting, hiring,
retention and career development. In the future, these elements are
planned to be integrated into a comprehensive system.
The amended Civil Servants Act introduces new regulations for civil
servants within the defence system and for SAF service personnel. The
amended Defence Act includes new provisions regarding
employer-employee relations and status issues for personnel employed
in the defence system. Due to certain imbalances between both Acts in
connection with employer-employee relations and status issues and the
need to resolve the problems of the excessive personnel and personnel
imbalances, we started to prepare amendments to the Defence Act in the
second half of 2003.
Slovenian Armed Forces
With the introduction of organisational and other changes, the level
of manning and of equipment in the 1st Brigade, in particular in the
10th Motorised Battalion and in the 17th MP Battalion, and partly also
in the 20th Motorised Battalion have improved. This also helped
increase the size (pool) of forces intended for participation in peace
support operations and the ability to contribute to NATO
operations. For these purposes Slovenia will continue to provide a
motorised infantry company with a rotation capability. At the same
time it will carry out activities aimed at the implementation of goals
identified in the defence reform timeline, which will be further
amended in the process of force proposals package
discussions. Additional requirements resulting from the NATO force
proposals and full professionalisation of the force structure will
reflect in the SDR and medium and long-term planning documents (2015)
and consequently the planned force size and structure that will be
made available to the Alliance.
In 2004, activities related to the transformation of the SAF
structure will continue in line with the accepted timeline for the
military and defence reforms and the medium-term plan for the
development of the SAF. The aim of this process is to enhance SAF
defence capabilities. The established structure of commands is planned
to ensure links and coordinated work with NATO forces and
commands. Conditions will be provided for the transition to a fully
professional force and for the introduction of a contract reserve.
The process of eliminating unnecessary units and of reducing the units
manned exclusively with reserves will continue to reduce the SAF
wartime structure to the maximum authorised 18,000 service personnel
by the end of 2004.
Capabilities
In the first half of 2004 measures will be taken to have the
capabilities necessary to ensure the interoperability of the airspace
command and control assets with the NATO integrated air defence system
(NATINEADS), including the establishment of the necessary links for
the exchange and transfer of data and voice with the ASOC centre.
Based on the relevant NATO technical requirements a communication
network system will be upgraded for the transfer of voice and data
with accesses to allow for consultation and cooperation at the highest
decision-making level.
Human resources
The professional formation and voluntary reserve units will, until the
end of 2005, receive training according to NATO common doctrine and
procedures, while such training will continue until the end of 2007 in
the case of the compulsory reserve units of the SAF. In accordance
with the SAF staffing reforms, the Training Centre, which was created
in the spring of 2003, is already conducting basic training for all
candidates for professional soldiers as well as basic training for the
infantrymen. For the purposes of guaranteeing specific qualification
standards, the training of professional units is conducted in a way
that conforms, as far as possible, to the requirements of the
Operational Capability Concept (OCC) and to the requirements specified
in the task list, which are essentially important for the unit's
assignments (METL). A system of military education and training will
be introduced in 2004 and 2005 and military education and training
will be planned, organised and conducted in such a way that will
ensure that the level of military qualification will, by the end of
2005, be brought into line with the standards and requirements of a
professional military organisation, supplemented by a voluntary
reserve.
Equipment and modernisation
The basic aim of securing equipment and modernisation is to
facilitate, as a priority, the operation of high readiness forces and
the participation of SAF units in NATO operations, as well as the
subsequent participation of the rest of the SAF. The equipment plans
are executed in accordance with the requirements for the restructuring
of the SAF and its professionalisation. These plans will probably be
revised in 2003 on the basis of harmonised objectives, which will also
be included in the mid-term and long-term plans of the development and
equipment of the SAF.
Logistics and infrastructure
For the purposes of supporting the operation of the SAF in NATO,
logistic capabilities will be provided in the logistics
battalion. Part of these capabilities already exist and are being
rapidly formed within the 1st. Brigade of the SAF. The command
logistic companies of the battalions and regiments will also
structurally constitute part of this segment of the SAF. The units and
static elements of the present logistic bases will be merged and
transformed into a logistic regiment. A transformation of the medical
units is envisaged which will provide capabilities for the first and
second level of health care as well as health evacuation up to higher
levels. These logistic capabilities will be provided by the end of
2004. The infrastructure of the SAF is being adapted to the
requirements of the professional force.
Host nation support (HNS)
In accordance with the Timetable, the Government will adopt, in the
autumn of 2003, the Host Nation Support Concept. The harmonisation of
classifications and the marking of roads and bridges (on the maps)
will be performed after the adoption of STANAG concerning the specific
field, by a special working group of the General Staff. The field of
HNS has, in the part relating to the SAF, already been outlined in the
Concept of SAF Supplementary Forces and in the Concept for Military
Logistics Reform. Projects are already underway for the purposes of
the development of a centrally kept database on HNS CC by the end of
2004. With the designing of a common form and contents of the NATO
database and appropriate common software solutions, Slovenia will also
realise the partnership goal and proposal for the development of
forces, concerning the HNS CC.
Partnership goals (PG) and force goals (FG) development
In June 2003, Slovenia adopted the Bi-Sc 2004 Force Proposals Slovenia
document and, in this way, joined the cycle of planning the goals of
NATO forces.
The requirements for specific forces and capabilities stated in
partnership goals have, to a great extent, been included in the draft
force proposals.
The overall package of force proposals for Slovenia contained 61
force proposals, 18 of them being long term requirements. Based on
these discussions Slovenia adjusted some of the initial responses and
for the time being finds majority of the proposed package challenging
but acceptable (46), the final status of the rest will be agreed in
the further debate. Slovenia has made a good start to restructuring
the SAF, and while realising that there is still much to be done,
Slovenia perceives the 2004 Force Proposals Package as an opportunity
to play an important part in NATO operations as soon as possible.
Accession to the NATO integrated military structure
The SAF has available, a group of experts and linguistically qualified
commissioned and non-commissioned officers, for work with NATO and in
NATO. A special group of future candidates for further language and
expert training is composed of 711 commissioned officers, 364
non-commissioned officers and 38 soldiers with various levels of
linguistic knowledge. The personnel of the SAF currently operating in
the partnership elements of NATO commands (PSE) will continue with
their work until the achievement of full membership in NATO. The three
observer posts in the NATO commands will be occupied by appropriate
personnel by the beginning of 2004. The SAF will, by the end of 2003,
strengthen its military representation within the framework of the
Permanent Mission to NATO and the SHAPE Contact Group.
3. Financial Issues
Slovenia is committed to maintaining a level of defence expenditure
that is sufficient to support the defence reform, restructuring and
modernisation called for in the 2002 Strategic Defence Review and NATO
Force Goals, and to permit an adequate level of capital investment to
meet planned equipment and infrastructure modernisation and to enhance
interoperability, deployability, combat effectiveness, sustainability
and survivability in order to meet NATO requirements. The current
projection of defence expenditure for 2003 and 2004 show a
continuation of the dynamics of growth of the share of defence
expenditure in the GDP, which is expected to reach 2% by 2008.
In accordance with the plans for the adaptation of the public
procurement system for the purpose of conducting harmonised procedures
for the projects of the NATO Security Investment Programme, the
Government approved the amendments to the Public Procurement Act and
submitted it to the National Assembly for parliamentary procedure.
Slovenia will provide funds for contributing to NATO joint
programmes and budgets and implementation and maintenance of NATO NSIP
from the current structure of the national budget, within the
framework of the existing national budget rules. A National Office for
NSIP will be created in the Ministry of Defence in the Office for
Logistics.
Slovenia is also already adapting the national taxation legislation
for the purposes of implementation of NATO tax exemption policies.
4. Security Issues
In the past year, Slovenia achieved considerable progress in the area
of security issues by adopting executive regulations allowing for the
harmonisation of the national security system with NATO security
policy requirements. These ensure minimum NATO standards in the area
of personnel security, information security and physical security, and
provide a basis for the establishment of a corresponding system of
classified information protection in the communication and information
systems. By amending the Classified Information Act and adopting
executive regulations on its basis, conditions will be created for
smooth fulfilment of all tasks of the National Security Authority in
the area of the implementation of NATO security policy provisions.
5. Legal Issues
Slovenia has been actively preparing for the adoption of NATO
acquis, and will ratify or accede to all the remaining NATO agreements
and protocols relating to membership of the Alliance, for which no
special invitation is required within six months after accession to
the North Atlantic Treaty. In Slovenia there are no legal impediments
for accession to NATO acquis and for smooth implementation of its
obligations as an Ally.
|
