The defence ministers of NATO's member-states, who convened in Brussels for a two-day conference on Friday, made decisions on adapting the NATO Command Structure and adopted an initiative of readiness under which, by 2020, the allies will have 30 mechanised battalions, 30 air squadrons and 30 combat vessels, ready to use within 30 days or less.

“The command structure will be increased by 1,200 posts. Croatia has so far filled 20 posts in the command structure of NATO, and now will be given five or six more. We will secure the quota as this is conducive to the strengthening of Croatia’s army and Croatia’s security,” Defence Minister Damir Krsticevic said in Brussels on Friday.

One of the decisions made at the two-day meeting is that the new Joint Force Command for the Atlantic will be based at Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, while a new Enabling Command will be based in Ulm, Germany.

Commenting on this NATO Readiness Initiative, the so-called ‘Four Thirties’, Minister Krsticevic said that “we are living in a changeable world, which makes upgrading readiness for the sake of security necessary.”

As far as Croatia is concerned, we will be provided with forces that must be at a higher level of readiness, he added.

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