BRUSSELS (VG) Minister of Defense Odd Roger Enoksen says that NATO will prepare proposals on how they can strengthen the defense of the member countries to an even greater degree.
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NATO defense ministers have been sitting together in meetings all Wednesday. Minister of Defense Odd Roger Enoksen (Sp) tells VG after the meeting that there is agreement to upgrade further.
– It has now been decided that NATO military advisers until the meeting in June will prepare proposals on how NATO can strengthen the defense of the member countries to an even greater extent, says Enoksen, and points out that this will involve new investments and forces.
– This may mean that Norway must be prepared to participate even more than we do in Lithuania today, for example, but also that we must take greater responsibility at home, by facilitating the reception of Allied forces and strengthening our own defense, says Enoksen.
In May last year, allied NATO countries began to make regular calls with nuclear-powered submarines in Tromsø, and thus NATO’s activity in Norway moved even further north.
Enoksen announced to VG earlier Wednesday that the government will already on Friday come up with a plan for strengthening the defense.
–Demanding period
Enoksen commutes to Andøya where he lives, but has said that he has not returned home on the weekends due to working with the war.
– There is no doubt that it is demanding to be Minister of Defense during this period. It has been demanding since the situation is changing rapidly and decisions must be made quickly.
– Both the government has been able to do this and the civil service in the various ministries has been able to do so. They have presented a basis for decision-making in a very good way, efficiently and quickly.
He points out that in the future it will be a big task to deal with the refugees from the war in Europe.
– It is clear that something we are in now nationally is the refugee situation which is dramatic throughout Europe. Poland has received 1.9 million refugees in a couple of weeks. It is unbelievably impressive that they have managed it in such a good way, he says, and adds that the rest of Europe – including Norway – must also be prepared to receive a larger proportion of refugees.
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