Monday’s visit by a NATO team of experts as part of the Defence education enhancement programme (DEEP) may boost the implementation of agreements the country has previously signed that bring Bosnia closer towards membership in the alliance, Defense Minister Marina Pendes said.

“I am convinced that this visit is an additional motive for us in the Defence Ministry and in Bosnia’s Armed Forces to focus more on implementing all of our key documents,” Pendes said.

The NATO visit was planned by the alliance after it approved Bosnia’s Armed Forces and Defence Ministry to join the DEEP project in November last year.

The leader of the NATO team of experts, Marc Di Paolo, said that NATO will help Bosnia’s Defence Ministry and Armed Forces based on their needs by providing expertise and resources.