tností - IDEB – MEDZINÁRODNÝ VEĽTRH OBRANNEJ TECHNIKY ...

enhances the seriousness and importance
of this event. This exhibition traditionally
provides a venue for presenting the achievements
of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak
Republic in building and developing the
armed forces.
Perhaps the most important thing to be
highlighted at this moment is the fact that
our exhibition IDEB, as well as our Czech
partner´s exhibition IDET held in Brno, has
managed to maintain its international credibility,
notwithstanding the financial crisis and
economic recession that have substantially
hampered the progress in the area of security
and defence in recent years. It is obvious
that all events that marked these years of difficulties
and uncertainty have not evolved as
random acts. On the contrary, despite the risk
of potential failure, the results of our efforts
and actions helped both the exhibitions win
a solid position in the schedule of international
exhibitions and fairs.
The turn of the months of March and April of
this year marked the 8th Anniversary of our entry
into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
By joining NATO, Slovakia has won the best
security guarantees and possibilities to participate
in decision-making process and in
activities that contribute to maintaining the
security in Europe and worldwide. The Slovak
Republic, acting in full compliance with its
Defence Strategy and commitments to NATO
and the EU, continues building its armed
forces that are ready to promptly respond
to threats and to subsequent requirements
for rapid deployment in joint, multinational
expeditionary operations. What makes it
evident is our participation on international
crisis management operations in Afghanistan,
the Balkans and Cyprus, as well as the establishment
of the International Explosive
Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Centre of Excellence
(COE). It is our membership in NATO that
makes us reflect issues directly relating to
military hardware, equipment and the armed
forces. Events such as this year’s International
Defence Exhibition can also show us the way
leading towards the desired modernisation of
military hardware and equipment.
In this respect, it should be noted that the
global economic crisis also affected the Slovak
Armed Forces. Its negative impact was mainly
noticeable in the area of armaments, particularly
in fields, such as development, production
and acquisition. The current economic
situation is not simple either. However, I am
convinced of the importance that should be
placed on promoting the idea of the necessity
of advanced defence technologies. In this
time, when most of NATO Member States or
other countries around the world struggle
with budget cuts, which have a negative effect
also on defence budget, the modern defence
technologies constitute a solution to
the problem. Such state-of-the-art technologies
multiply the effectiveness of military capabilities,
create a safe environment for their
users, provide a high level of interoperability
and are one of the key pillars of capabilities
development.
The Security Strategy of the Slovak Republic
takes into account a course of changes in the
PRÍHOVOR / ADDRESS
security environment that has become more
complicated and less predictable. The Armed
Forces of the Slovak Republic are therefore
ready to more promptly respond to any security
threats or security risks due to the availability
of a wide range of defence capabilities.
The goal of the Ministry of Defence of the
Slovak Republic and the Armed Forces of the
Slovak Republic is to own such equipment
and systems that will enable them to gradually
achieve the desired capabilities.
This year’s International Defence Exhibition
Bratislava IDEB 2012 reflects the endeavours
of the Slovak Republic to strengthen its
own defence capability and development of
international cooperation in the area of industry.
Its aim is to present the quality of
human and technical potential of the Slovak
defence industry and its ability to ensure the
development, production, testing, repairs
and upgrade of complex weapons systems.
Experts and lay public visiting the exhibition
will have an opportunity to see the latest
achievements of the national armament
production on its path to a full compatibility
with modern armed forces of NATO Member
States.
I hope that the Exhibition and Congress Centre
Incheba will provide the exhibitors with all
what they need in order to fully present their
defence production. I wish all the exhibitors
and visitors a pleasant stay in Bratislava and
invite them to discover historical, cultural and
human values of the capital of Slovakia.
Martin Glváč
Minister of Defence of the SR
IDEB EXCLUSIVE 2012 7