The focus of a meeting of the defense ministers of the Central European Defense Cooperation (CEDC) in Postojna in Slovenia, in which Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) is also attending, is the topics of military engagement in the Western Balkans, hybrid threats in general and possible ones Cooperations in the field of training and exercises. The current situation in the coronavirus pandemic will also be discussed.
In the working talks, Tanner repeatedly outlined the need to restore and improve stability in the Western Balkans, as her press spokesman Herbert Kullnig told the APA.
“Our goal is to continue and intensify the Graz dialogue format launched by my predecessor and, connected with it, to develop the capabilities of the Western Balkan states. In the long term, the Western Balkans are to evolve from ’security consumers‘ to ’security providers‘ ”, says Tanner.
The ministers of the CEDC countries were also joined by their colleagues from Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo by means of a video conference.
Exchange of air position data
The Defense Minister also held bilateral talks. Yesterday she signed an agreement with her Slovenian counterpart Matej Tonin on the bilateral exchange of air situation data. „From our point of view, the exchange of air situation data between Austria and Slovenia would not only have a synergy effect, but also fully correspond to the spirit of intra-European cooperation,“ said Tanner at the meeting, according to the announcement.
The Slovenian Defense Minister, meanwhile, expects that the agreement will further strengthen bilateral military cooperation. Further possibilities for promoting bilateral cooperation are also seen in relation to the infantry, communication and IT units as well as work of the special units, logistics and supply as well as language and military training, according to the Ministry in Ljubljana.
Slovenia is the third country with which Austria has signed an agreement on air situation data exchange. Such agreements already exist with Switzerland and Germany.
