The Ministry of Defense is going to renew the Army of Montenegro's (VCG) stock of motor vehicles, as concluded from the Public Procurement Plan worth slightly over EUR 14 million. For the purchase of goods, it is planned to allocate 9.4 million euros, while works on military facilities in Bar, Niksic, Danilovgrad, Pljevlja, Lepetani and Brezovik will cost 1.74 million, while for payment of various services about three million euros will be spent.
The plan does not foresee the purchase of any significant new weapon or combat system for VCG units but is the money to start the long-announced gradual restoration of obsolete fleet of non-war military vehicles, most of which date back from SFR Yugoslavia.
Thus, for the purchase of new military field trucks of up to five tons, the planned amount of one million euros and another 1.23 million for new lightweight terrain vehicles for the transport of personnel and equipment, sanitary vehicles and water and fuel tanks.
Predrag Bošković's department earlier announced that the key project which they are planning to realize this year, is the purchase of a total of 67 light armored vehicles for the purposes of the Land Forces, for which they intend to take a credit arrangement directly from the manufacturer who will give them the most favorable offer in the total amount of up to 30 million euros.
These items are not included in the public procurement plan of MO for 2019, as it was not the case last year with the purchase of three new multi-purpose helicopters, which were also bought for a 30m-euro loan and repaid by the Ministry of Finance directly.
However, in the area of public procurement, the item for the "purchase of armored vehicles" is stated, but the amount of 600,000 euros that is envisaged for it is sufficient only for the possible purchase of a new "Otocar Cobra" type vehicle that was already bought two years ago with the exclusive purpose of radiological-chemical-biological scanning.
For the purchase of ammunition of various calibers for exercise and maneuvering, MO will spend 550,000 euros, while for the purchase of new personal optoelectronic equipment for members of the declared forces for inter-operative processing will be allocated 980,000 euros. For special equipment for the VCG mountain units the MO will allocate 400,000, for the campfire equipment 50,000, for underwater gear crew members of the Navy VCG 280,000, while the new ABHO protective gear will cost 100,000 euros.
All military and civilian vehicles in VCG and MO, Helicopters and Navy ships will have a total of 445,000 euros available for the fuel expenses.
Text by Sinisa Lukovic, on February 6th 2019, read more at Vijesti
