Search is on for new defense chief

TALLINN - Estonian Defense Minister Mart Laar has formed an advisory committee that will present its recommendations to the Minister for finding a new candidate for the position of Chief of the Defense Forces, reports LETA. By Sept. 26, the committee is obliged to present the minister its recommendations on a new candidate for the position of Chief of the Defense Forces, to replace General Ants Laaneots, who leaves office at the end of the year.

In accordance with the Peacetime National Defense Act, the government appoints a Chief of the Defense Forces on the proposal of the minister of defense.
The committee consists of Permanent Secretary Mikk Marran, the current Chief of the Defense Forces Ants Laaneots, Director General of the Information Board Rainer Saks, Undersecretary for Defense Policy Jonatan Vseviov and Adviser to the Ministry of Defense Lt. Gen. Johannes Kert (ret).

According to Minister of Defense Laar, Estonia has lacked clearly established criteria for candidates applying for the position for the past 20 years.
“I hope that the current process of finding the Chief of the Defense Forces, as well as the requirements for the candidates, will become a regular practice in the future,” Laar said.
“The members of the Defense Forces, from whom the committee is to select the new candidate for the position, are all senior officers in active service, the Chief of the General Staff and chiefs of armed services, as well as Estonia’s military representative at NATO,” Minister of Defense Laar said.

“The next Chief of the Defense Forces must also possess extensive knowledge of Estonia’s security policy and its shaping, as well as of the Defense Forces and organization of military protection, and international work experience from some international base or from a foreign mission,” said the Minister of Defense.
The five-year term of office of the current Chief of the Defense Forces, General Ants Laaneots, will end in December of this year.