SARAJEVO, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- BiH Deputy Foreign Minister Josip Brkic said NATO has urged Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to increase defense spending to meet the alliance's standards, as the country currently spends about 1 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on security, local media FENA reported on Tuesday.
Brkic, who chairs the BiH-NATO Cooperation Commission, said NATO member states and alliance officials had expressed particular interest in increased allocations for the country's armed forces during talks at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
BiH needs to gradually raise its defense spending and demonstrate the political will to strengthen its capabilities, primarily in its own interests, Brkic said.
The ratio of 2 percent of GDP has long been a NATO benchmark on defense spending. However, at the 2025 summit in The Hague, NATO leaders agreed to raise annual defense-related spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035.
BiH joined NATO's Partnership for Peace programme in 2006 and was invited to participate in the Membership Action Plan in 2010. BiH is not a NATO member, and participation in the Membership Action Plan does not guarantee future membership. Currently, its cooperation with NATO focuses on defence reform, military capacity building and security cooperation. ■