ZAGREB, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The Croatian government will continue to increase its military spending to strengthen defense capabilities, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Wednesday at an event to mark the Croatian Armed Forces Day.
Since 2016, the Croatian government has tripled the defense budget to 1.5 billion euros (1.695 billion U.S. dollars), Plenkovic said, adding that the figure will soon reach 2 billion euros.
Plenkovic said the government will continue to provide robust support for all branches of the Croatian Armed Forces.
Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ivan Anusic has also announced that Croatia plans to increase defense spending to 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2027, and to 3 percent by 2030, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen national security and promote self-sufficiency. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) ■
