comprehensive care for the members, will contribute to the retention of the members in the system. Measures to facilitate members to leave the Slovenian Armed Forces after reaching the age of 45 will be focused on ensuring the acquired rights, regulating the status, and providing financial and other benefits. Measures related to the contract reserve and voluntary military service will be focused on appropriate reimbursements and the motivation of employers for support, timely planning, better earnings, promotion, and so on. In order to successfully implement the measures in the area of human resources, it will be necessary to include the tasks related to the recruitment and retention of personnel in the work processes of the Slovenian Armed Forces. Improved implementation of strategic communication, the promotion of the military profession, and the increase in the territorial part of the Slovenian Armed Forces will contribute to a better integration of the defence system into the local environment and to permanent close contacts with the citizens. In addition, the system of career development for the members of the Slovenian Armed Forces will be upgraded, providing individuals with the possibilities of career promotion and professional development, and also enabling them to leave at a certain career level. 4.5 Financial resources Due to the changed international security situation, and the extremely negative consequences of several years of reduction in defence expenditure, large financial investments are required. Only by making these investments will the Republic of Slovenia be able to ensure an appropriate level of preparedness of the defence system in the future, and to meet all its obligations related to common defence arising from its membership in NATO and the European Union. By signing the Defence Investment Pledge in 2014, the NATO member states committed themselves to halting the trend of declining defence expenditure, and to aiming to gradually increase defence expenditure in real terms, as GDP grows, towards 2% of GDP for defence within the next decade. At the same time, the NATO member states will increase their defence spending on major equipment and on research and development, with the aim of allocating at least 20% of their defence spending for these purposes within the next decade. For national defence purposes, it is necessary to provide financial resources in the long term, which will enable the implementation of the development objectives of the Slovenian Armed Forces as laid down in national strategic and development guidance documents, including the development of defined capabilities and an increased number of Slovenian Armed Forces personnel in the event of a sharp deterioration in the security situation. 28