Defense Minister Dragan Krapović says that Montenegro, as a member of NATO, needs to have adequate space for its army to practice, but he says that in the case of Sinjajevina and the plans to build a military training ground there, he will listen and respect the voice of the citizens.
In an interview with Vijesti Television, Krapović said that he will insist that the state fulfills its obligation to NATO during his term of office, that two percent of GDP be allocated annually to the army, which is not yet the case.
The minister believes that the issue of returning to mandatory military service should not be opened a priori, and that the salaries of contract soldiers must be increased.
Television Vijesti also asked him what kind of situation he found in the Army and whether we need more professional soldiers.
"I am not completely satisfied with the occupancy of the units. It fails in many segments. I think that it is primarily a question of working conditions, and I think that we have to have a different, much more aggressive marketing approach when it comes to the animation of the younger generations," he said.
What are the salaries of soldiers, officers and employees in the Ministry of Defense and are they motivated to do this work?
Krapović: About 700 euros for a contract soldier, slightly more for officers and non-commissioned officers, and it can always be better.
What are the salaries of employees in the ministry?
Krapović: They are significantly better than contract soldiers.
What is your attitude when it comes to Sinjajevina? Will it remain intact, or do you still think that a part of it should be turned into a military training ground?
Krapović: The Army of Montenegro in accordance with the standards, in accordance with the obligations that we have in the NATO alliance that there must be an adequate training ground on the territory of Montenegro, sometime in the foreseeable future. When it comes to Sinjajevina, in that part I can assure the public that we will listen to the voice of the citizens above all.
So Sinjajevina will remain intact?
Krapović: Well, very likely.
If Sinjajevina falls, what will you do as the Minister of Defense in this matter?
Krapović: There are possibly, I don't want to prejudge, some other locations that would be adequate for a military training ground, and it seems to me that they are not state-owned. This will again impose, if it is an option, a type of costs. I would not bid on locations now, I think that these are very sensitive issues.
Do you think that Montenegrin soldiers should continue to be part of international peacekeeping missions and will their participation, as before, be limited to missions that do not mean going to the field where fighting is going on?
Krapović: I think that Montenegro should continuously contribute to something that is the preservation of peace, stability, and security in Europe and beyond. So this is something that will continue during my mandate as Minister of Defense.
President Jakov Milatović said recently that the issue of returning mandatory military service should be opened, although he is not in favor of it, but he says that our army is insufficiently staffed. Should that question be opened?
Krapović: I believe that this issue should also be the subject of very serious analyzes and should not be opened like this a priori, let's say, flat-out. We will see what the other possibilities are, as I said that most of the young people are animated.
In your opinion, has enough been invested in our army so far? What will you insist on in that part?
Krapović: It is particularly important to invest in modernization, especially in light of the challenges ahead, which primarily concern cyber capacity. All of this requires large investments in modernization, and I think that those two percent of GDP must be allocated both in that real and in the segment of the political message.
How much have we allocated so far?
Krapović: At this moment, we are at 1,73 percent of realization. So, we will see how long it will be until the New Year. It's quite solid as it is, but it's not the full measure. And I think that this is a very important measure in preparation for the NATO summit that will take place in the middle of next year in Washington.
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