Andreja Katič, the Defence Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, today paid her first visit to the European Defence Agency where she was welcomed by EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq.
A wide range of topics related to European defence cooperation were discussed, including the implementation of the EU Global Strategy, the Commission’s recently adopted European Defence Action Plan and the implementation of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration.
Slovenia’s role and participation in EDA projects were also discussed at length during the Minister’s visit. Mrs Katič was presented with detailed updates on a range of ongoing projects in which Slovenia is actively involved such as the Multinational Modular Medical Unit (M3U) or the Collaborative Database (CODABA). The Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), which Slovenia is expected to join soon, the project on Diplomatic Clearances as well as other ongoing EDA programmes and projects were also raised.
EDA Chief Jorge Domecq thanked Minister Katič for her visit and Slovenia’s involvement in the Agency’s activities, and he encouraged the country to get involved even more in the future. “The Agency serves Member States of all sizes equally”, he stressed. “EDA services and activities may even primarily benefit Member States of smaller size by providing them with defence capabilities they need and by generating savings as well as cost-efficiency in defence spending”.
Transport hub project agreement
Minister Katič also signed the project agreement on Slovenia’s participation in the EDA transport hub project. The project, which was launched in December 2014, is designed to enhance and ease the military deployment, movement and transportation capabilities of the contributing Member States. The ultimate objective is to develop a European Multimodal Transport Hub Network which can serve both CSDP missions and other Member States’ purposes (day to day business and exercises) through harmonised regulations, procedures and processes as well as pooling and sharing of movement and transport assets and infrastructure in Europe.