The exercise, which started on Friday last week and aimed to test the capacity of the movable military hospital and the 18th battalion for nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological defence, was completed successfully, the two units receiving NATO certification, according to Slovenian Chief-of-Staff, Maj Gen Alojz Steiner.
Svizec 09 (Marmot 09) represented a culmination of several years' worth of capacity-building of the Slovenian army as part of Slovenia's efforts to integrate into the alliance, he explained.
Admiral Di Paola, who took part in the inspection of the exercise today, congratulated the Slovenian Armed Forces for their success, labeling the movable military hospital and the 18th battalion as capacities which are being especially sought after by the alliance.
Jelusic meanwhile expressed satisfaction and pride that the Slovenia army received such achievements which could according to her hardly be anticipated in a year that was plagued by financial difficulties in the field of defence.
Svizec 09 proved that Slovenia could follow up its commitments, both as a member of NATO and as an individual country, even in hard times like these, she stressed.
