He was speaking to the press after a meeting with Defence Ministry and General Staff officials which addressed their plans and priorities for this year.

"We have a lot to do. We have to draw up a series of strategic documents. Croatia has joined NATO, it is joining the European Union and we have to align our defence legislation. We have to draw up a national security strategy, a defence strategy, a strategic defence review and a long term development plan for the armed force as the fundamental document that shows what it will be like in the next seven to 10 years," said Kotromanovic.

The Defence Ministry has to be quicker, more efficient, more operative and in charge of the civilian supervision of the General Staff, he added.

Asked about his vision of the Croatian Army in the coming period, the minister said the NATO integration plan had to be completed by 2014.

"We are satisfied with what has been done in the Armed Forces. We have excellent officers who proved their worth in the Homeland War and are proving it every day in international peace missions in Afghanistan, the Golan Heights and elsewhere. We have a lot of experience and will take the Armed Forces to the next level," Kotromanovic said, adding that there was a lot of room for improvement and that it was feasible.

He announced a reform of the ministry and the General Staff based on a government regulation, saying a task force had already been chosen for that.

Asked if he would be able to do all that with the money at the ministry's disposal and what the situation in the military was, Kotromanovic said he would have a clear financial picture early next month. "I believe we can do the tasks set with the funds available," he said, adding that funding for training would be increased to make the military more efficient.

Asked about the prospects of the Croatian Air Force given the coming budget cuts, the minister voiced hope that the funds for the defence would stay at the current level. "Regarding fighter aircraft, we feel we should maintain capability... because once lost, it's very hard to regain it," he said but added that this would depend on the budget.