The clear targets set by the new security forces structure
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Minister of Defence
The Estonian Defence Forces recently celebrated their 10th anniversary.
Now the Defence Forces may step into their second decade of existence with clear development on a qualitatively new level: the “Analysis of the Structure of the Defence Forces”, based on the Partnership for Peace between the Republic of Estonia and the North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation, has been completed, as has a document called “The Structure and Development Goals of the Defence Forces for a Medium-Term Period” which sets out the development goals of the Estonian Defence Forces up to the year 2015, relying on the structural analysis performed in 2001. The document was approved by the Government of the Republic on 6 November 2001.
For the first time in the history of Estonian Defence Forces policy planning, the needs arising from threat evaluation, the capacities to be developed, and the financial and human resources have been put together, creating conditions for development of the planned units and staffs in accordance with the specified time schedule. The new structure is substantially more appropriate and economical as compared to the one formerly planned.
The Estonian Defence Forces reform is attainable only with the support of the Riigikogu and all the political parties, and on the condition that we have enough statesmanship during the coming years for keeping the state defence issues above the day-to-day political fray, as is the rule in all normal states.