Newsroom
Awareness raising campaign on military expenditure starts in Bosnia and Herzegovina
SARAJEVO 11 October 2001
SARAJEVO, 11 October 2001 (OSCE) - The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina today launches an initiative aimed at raising public awareness of the excessive level of military expenditures in the country.
The initiative encourages Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens to demand transparency in the budgeting process and to give a strong reminder to the political leadership that they are accountable to the taxpayers.
The defence budget in Bosnia and Herzegovina amounts to about six percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On average, European countries spend about 1,5 percent of their GDP for the military.
Bosnia and Herzegovina can in fact barely afford an army half of its current size. It is obvious that the country can and must reduce military expenditures by downsizing its armed forces. In this way, a significant amount of money could be freed and used for pensions, healthcare, education and creation of new businesses.
Military expenditure reduction would also improve the efficiency of the military in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"The Bosnia and Herzegovina militaries simply cannot be sustained the way they are. They could fulfill their mission far more effectively if their personnel strength were significantly reduced," says Robert Beecroft, the Head of the OSCE Mission.
"Hopefully this initiative will make the country's citizens more aware of the economic benefit of downsizing its military budget. It should also be seen as an effort to raise public awareness about the possibilities the citizens in a democratic society have to influence the authorities and thereby shape their own future."
The initiative, run in co-operation with the NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR), will be implemented using radio and newspaper interviews, newspaper and radio advertising, TV shows, banners and leaflets and the Internet.
The initiative encourages Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens to demand transparency in the budgeting process and to give a strong reminder to the political leadership that they are accountable to the taxpayers.
The defence budget in Bosnia and Herzegovina amounts to about six percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On average, European countries spend about 1,5 percent of their GDP for the military.
Bosnia and Herzegovina can in fact barely afford an army half of its current size. It is obvious that the country can and must reduce military expenditures by downsizing its armed forces. In this way, a significant amount of money could be freed and used for pensions, healthcare, education and creation of new businesses.
Military expenditure reduction would also improve the efficiency of the military in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"The Bosnia and Herzegovina militaries simply cannot be sustained the way they are. They could fulfill their mission far more effectively if their personnel strength were significantly reduced," says Robert Beecroft, the Head of the OSCE Mission.
"Hopefully this initiative will make the country's citizens more aware of the economic benefit of downsizing its military budget. It should also be seen as an effort to raise public awareness about the possibilities the citizens in a democratic society have to influence the authorities and thereby shape their own future."
The initiative, run in co-operation with the NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR), will be implemented using radio and newspaper interviews, newspaper and radio advertising, TV shows, banners and leaflets and the Internet.