Disposal of cluster munitions

On the 1 week of November, members of the NC EOD Nováky disposed of the artillery ammunition in the premises of the Military Technical and Testing Institute (MTTI) Záhorie. “They were AGAT/JRKK 122 mm rockets made in Slovakia and used in system Modular. In concert with MTTI Záhorie, we developed a technological procedure, a partial delaboration, whereby we reached considerable savings,” stated Maj Štefan Zreničík, Chief of the Capabilities’ Development Centre at the NC EOD Nováky. So far, members of the NC EOD have primarily focused on disposal of aerial cluster munitions, this was the first time they disposed of artillery ammunition. In the near future they will dispose of 122 mm rockets AGAT/JRKK, aerial cluster bombs, submunition delivered by RBK cluster bombs, as well as KMGU blocks. Ammunition, which is to-date in inventory of the SVK Armed Forces, needs to be disposed of by the end of 2023, in accordance with the international obligations. The estimated related costs are EUR 5,552 million. Slovakia’s ambition is to become, in 2015, a signatory to the Convention on cluster munitions. The accession process has started this year and after government’s and parliament’s approval, the ratification documents will be deposited with the depository until the end of June 2015. For the Slovak Republic, the Convention will take effect and be in force on and after 1 January 2016.