President: Investments in Armed Forces Are Must

Bratislava, November 14 (TASR) - Investments in the Slovak Armed Forces are a must, President Peter Pellegrini said in a speech he delivered during a command meeting of the Chief of the Staff of the Slovak Army in Bratislava on Thursday. The president participated in the meeting as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces for the first time. At the same time, Pellegrini expects that the Slovak Army will continue to be the voice of expertise, pointing to the fact that it has been one of the most credible institutions for a long time. "However sincerely we wish for peace to reign again, our priorities must also include well-trained and secured armed forces," stressed Pellegrini. According to him, the current situation - the conflict in Ukraine, the Middle East and other regions of the world - puts higher qualitative and quantitative demands on the armed forces, their training, equipment and staff. The president pointed out that the current situation brings the possibility of using EU and NATO funds for infrastructure projects that will improve Slovakia's defence ability. According to him, they can bring benefits for the civilian population, as well as for the private sector. Pellegrini on this occasion thanked the members of the Slovak Army for the fact that they can be relied on in moments of crises, such as the influx of refugees from Ukraine, floods and the evacuation of Slovak citizens from Lebanon. ko/mcs