Gajdos: 800 Jobs Will Be Created Thanks to Support of Defence Industry
Dubnica nad Vahom, September 6 (TASR) – The state-owned joint-stock company KONSTRUKTA-Defence of Dubnica nad Vahom (Trencin region) will produce 25 pieces of upgraded Zuzana 2 artillery systems worth up to €175 million by 2022, Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (Slovak National Party/SNS) told a press conference at the headquarters of the company on Thursday.
The defence minister further said that up to 800 new jobs will be created thanks to the implementation of projects of 8×8 military armoured vehicles and Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers. “Thanks to the decision to support the domestic defence industry and to introduce Slovak products into the Slovak Armed Forces we’ll significantly revive the arms industry in the Povazie area. According to preliminary estimates, 150-300 jobs will be created directly in DMD Group companies and 300-500 in the network of subcontracting and co-operative companies,” said Gajdos.
The minister at the same time stated that it will be a gradual increase depending on the agreed framework as well as the time and volume performance. “This way we unambiguously fulfil another point of the Government manifesto and the programme of the Slovak National Party, which strongly supports the development of the domestic defence industry,” stressed Gajdos.
Director general of DMD Group Vladimir Duris added that thanks to the implemented projects for the Slovak Armed Forces, the region’s potential, which has stagnated for years, is being preserved and developed. “But in the past, it was clearly the heart of the Slovak arms industry, and only thanks to the efforts of people and the new leadership of the Defence Ministry we are getting into a situation where we cannot only take a breath and deal with tasks for the Armed Forces, but also for foreign partners,” he added.
The procurement of 8×8 military armoured vehicles and Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers for the needs of the Slovak Armed Forces is in line with the Long-term Defence Development Plan with an emphasis on the construction and development of the Slovak Armed Forces with prospects to 2030. The costs associated with the implementation of the 155 mm Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzer are estimated at €175 million, including VAT. In the case of procurement of 8×8 military armoured vehicles, costs should not exceed €417 million, with the estimated price per vehicle being up to €4 euros with VAT.
