Croatian Army Reorganization

ZAGREB, March 28 - The Croatian armed forces will dissolve corps and territorial commands as part of a reorganization program aimed at adjusting to NATO standards, Defense Minister Berislav Roncevic has said.

"We have launched an initiative to reorganize our military as a modern, effective and mobile armed force," said Minister Roncevic.

"In our contacts with NATO experts in Brussels, we have been told that our armed forces are too static and territory-based and as such not designed to NATO standards," Roncevic said.

"The reorganization plan has not yet been finalized but it is taking shape and the corps could be dissolved in the next two years. The idea is to set up the General Command of the Armed Forces with operational units subordinated directly to it," he said.

Roncevic went on to say that old equipment used by the armed forces should be scrapped and that no investment should be made in projects that were not in line with NATO standards. He added that the reserve force was too big and also needed reorganizing.