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Slovenia Appoints Woman As Chief Of Armed Forces

November 28, 2018

Slovenia has become the only NATO country to appoint a woman as chief of its military.

Major-General Alenka Ermenc will officially take up her post as the Chief of the General Staff at a ceremony in Ljubljana on November 28.

The 55-year-old Ermenc previously served as the army's deputy head.

President Borut Pahor, Slovenia's commander-in-chief, welcomed her appointment on November 27, and expressed hope she will improve the military's performance.

"The global trend of a deteriorating security situation continues and even though Slovenia is not directly threatened military-wise, it must improve its military safety relatively quickly," Pahor said in a statement.

Prime Minister Marjan Sarec said that Ermenc's appointment demonstrates the maturity of Slovenian society.

The British-educated Ermenc began her military career in 1991, the year Slovenia declared independence from the former Yugoslavia.

Slovenia was the first ex-Yugoslav republic to join NATO and the European Union, both in 2004.

The Alpine nation of some 2 million people has approximately 7,500 soldiers, including active and reserve forces.

Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/slovenia -appoints-woman-as-chief-of- armed-forces/29625925.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.