The withdrawal from the agreement has incurred a total cost of EUR 4 million, which has already been settled in full. The decision to terminate the contract marks the conclusion of a contentious procurement process initiated under the previous administration.
The contract for 45 Boxer carriers, manufactured by Germany’s Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland, was signed by Matej Tonin, Slovenia’s former defence minister, shortly before his term ended in May 2022. The outgoing centre-right government finalised the deal as one of its last major decisions in office.
By September 2022, the succeeding government announced its intention to withdraw from the agreement, citing concerns over the cost-effectiveness and suitability of the purchase. OCCAR, the multinational organisation managing the Boxer programme, oversees collaborative defence equipment projects involving member states including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Source: Slovene Press Agency.
