MOD has invested over €20 million in infrastructure for soldiers

The Ministry of Defence continues driving improvements to Service conditions for military personnel. In 2021, the MOD has completed infrastructure and building upgrade projects worth over €20m. The funds have gone towards reconstructing Defence establishments that have been neglected in past years.

Director General of the MOD Property and Infrastructure Department Ján Bučan observed that funding has most often been required for barracks and buildings in critical need of repair. “As part of some 400 repair arrangements, common, yet essential repairs were mostly required to roofs, facades, WCs, fences, boiler rooms, as well as replacing windows and doors and reconstructing roads,” he said, noting that such repairs have cost €8.5m over the past year.

Alongside undertaking essential maintenance in 2021, the MOD has invested significantly in upgrading airports for the arrival of new aircraft and refurbishing military facilities in poor structural and technical condition and those for the needs of the Heavy Mechanised Brigade, while at the same time increasing energy efficiency in buildings.

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Of course, these are long-term projects the implementation of which may span several years. Ultimately, we aim to provide soldiers with modern and economical infrastructure to cater for their needs and to deliver better quality working environment for their service to the country. They unequivocally deserve it, because they have all eyes of the public and State on them in the event of different crises.”

Throughout 2021, the MOD has completed 13 refurbishment projects worth €12.3m and has additional nine still underway. Another 14 projects are in the process of being designed, six projects have their documentation ready, and contracts for seven projects have been put out to competition. Thanks to international competitive bidding through the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP), the MOD has made savings of over 900,000 euros.

Next year, the MOD plans to continue with preparations for refurbishment works to the Ministry of Defence “Star” Building, also known as “The Corn”, in Bratislava, the HQ Building in Banská Bystrica, and the Military Recreational Facility at the Zemplínska Šírava Reservoir, as well as for construction works to the new Military Archives in Trnava.

The figures do not include those by the MOD budgetary and MOD-funded agencies, given that they themselves manage the process of investing in construction projects, separately and under their own remit.