1.9 The National Defence Support System 34) The long-term development of national defence support (infrastructure, services and activities provided for the purposes of national defence) was updated. Its development remained limited by a low level of financing, leading to the postponement of task completion and some plans not being launched. The utility of several defence infrastructure compounds remained limited by their technical condition. 35) The absence of a conceptual approach in the area of national defence support did not allow for the preparation and implementation of systemic measures to adjust it to the changed security environment, while at the same time that changed environment makes it even more important. It was decided that a NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) should be created on the territory of the Slovak Republic, the activities of which will also help inter alia the preparation and implementation of measures aimed at enhancing the abilities of the Slovak Republic to provide Host Nation Support (HNS) to allied forces in the event of them being stationed in or operating on its territory (including transit). An absence of a conceptual approach in the area of national defence support 1.10 The Focus of Public Communication and Public Relations 36) Communication on the part of the MoD was focused on meeting international obligations and accomplishing tasks by the AF SR during nonmilitary emergencies on Slovak territory. The involvement of the AF SR in preparing citizens for national defence was enhanced by amending legislation. However, this preparation as part of the educational process in primary and secondary schools was still focused on life and health protection in times of emergencies. 37) Initiatives of the White Paper on Defence of the Slovak Republic (2013) in communicating with non-departmental domestic target groups, including the third sector, have not materialised. This resulted in a lessened public understanding of Slovak defence needs and of some measures taken by the MoD, a largely negative attitude of the media and a similarly critical approach towards the MoD by the non-governmental expert community. OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC 27

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