Admiral Kaskeala says Finnish Defence Forces face funding crisis

Juhani Kaskeala

Seppo Kääriäinen

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Finland's Chief of Defence Admiral Juhani Kaskeala aired his displeasure over recent government decisions on additional cuts in defence spending on Monday.
      Speaking at the opening of the latest National Defence Course, Kaskeala said that the cutbacks constitute a deviation from the government's own policies as outlined in its defence report. He says that the Defence Forces now face an acute funding crisis.
     
The government recently trimmed EUR 20 million from the defence budget both for 2006 and 2007. Kaskeala calculates that combined with other shifts in defence funding, this amounts to the disappearance of a total of EUR 100 million. To fill the gap, the Defence Forces are cutting back on refresher courses for reservists, reducing the number of flying hours for the Air Force, as well as cutting the amount of time that warships stay at sea.
      "Especially the almost total cancellation of refresher courses for two years will put a deep dent in our defence preparedness", Kaskeala said.
      The Chief of Defence was not against all cutbacks: he said that the rationalisation measures included in the government’s defence policy report, including the shutting down of certain garrisons and military units, was "absolutely necessary".
     
Taking part in the government’s decision on additional spending cuts was Minister of Defence Seppo Kääriäinen (Centre), who also spoke at Monday’s opening of the National Defence Course. He explained that the cutbacks were only temporary.
      "After 2007 we must return to the financial framework set by the defence report and endorsed by Parliament."
      Kääriäinen felt that without the decisions to shut down military units, and the other rationalisation measures, the Defence Forces would have faced a dead end, and gone "into liquidation".
      He emphasised that the cutbacks were not enacted in a state of panic. Instead, he said that the measures were controlled and well-thought out.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  President Halonen insists on UN or OSCE mandate for troop deployment (25.1.2005)

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