A plan of the Estonian Defense Ministry to build five new barracks at different military compounds by 2014 is aimed at putting all conscripts in state-of-the-art living quarters when the program is completed.
Estonian defense forces to get 5 new barracks by end of 2014
5th July 2013, 16:00
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In the course of 2014 four new barracks are to be completed in Amari, Johvi and Tallinn that will serve as living quarters for units now stationed in other bases, spokespeople for the Defense Ministry said. In addition a new residential and classes' building will be completed in Voru for the Estonian National Defense College.
Simultaneously four conscripts' barracks will be renovated at Tapa and Johvi.
«Improving the living and training conditions of conscripts is one of the aims of the national defense development plan,» said Ingvar Parnamae, deputy secretary general of the Defense Ministry responsible for defense investments. «By the end of 2014 all conscripts will be stationed in modern living quarters and training facilities,» he said.
In the longer term, bringing units together into modern military compounds will allow to use the infrastructure more effectively. «As a result, we will have more money left for new equipment and weaponry,» the official said.
The ministry has signed contracts with the construction companies Riverside OU and Steelf OOO on building two new barracks at the Amari air base and one in the military compound of Johvi in northeastern Estonia. The value of the contracts is 12.6 million euros and work is to start during the summer.
The new barracks will be used by the Logistics Battalion and the Guards Battalion that are now stationed respectively in the Lillekula and Rahumae districts in the southwestern part of Tallinn. Both Soviet-built compounds have become obsolete considering the units' needs.
In addition the Defense Ministry is about to announce a tender soon for the reconstruction of the old main building of the naval base in the Mine Harbor of Tallinn.
The total cost of the construction of five new buildings and renovation of four barracks is 21.8 million euros. In all accommodation places for 1,440 personnel will be created.