NOW that the Slovak Republic is a member of NATO, companies from Slovakia can apply for defence contracts of the alliance, deputy director of the Defence Ministry's armament section, Pavol Dzurilla, told the news wire SITA.
NATO needs to modernise airports, construct buildings, and install information systems in its member countries, Dzurilla said.
However, firms that come from non-member countries are excluded from the bidding.
The Slovak Defence Ministry has therefore set up a database of companies that are eligible for defence contracts, noting especially whether the company has security clearance and whether it is financially stable.
The Defence Ministry is the guarantor of these companies’ reliability.
A NATO programme directly contributes to projects that improve NATO defence capabilities and promote interoperability between allies.
This capital investment programme resides in Brussels, where projects of individual member countries are approved and money is allocated.
At this point, Slovakia is not preparing any defence projects, but it plans to do so in two to three years, said Dzurilla.
In the Czech Republic, which joined NATO in 1999, preparations for about 50 projects are underway.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
