14.03.2018.
Briefing to Foreign Military Representatives about the Matters within the Purview of Defence Policy Sector
Today, in the Annex Hall of the Guard Club in “Topčider” a briefing was held for the foreign military representatives accredited to the Republic of Serbia on the matters within the purview of the Defence Policy Sector of the Ministry of Defence.
It was an activity envisaged by the annual plan of cooperation with the foreign military representatives accredited to our country for the current year, which stemmed from a request of the military-diplomatic corps and the Belgrade Association of Defence Attachés. Today’s briefing gathered 36 defence attachés, and the great interest in this event was confirmed by the presence of the representatives of countries who are responsible for the Republic of Serbia on non-residential basis – defence attachés of Belgium, Netherlands and Japan.
The briefing was led by Acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy Major General Milan Mojsilović and today’s gathering was attended by Head of Organisation Department Major General Slađan Đorđević, Head of Department for International Military Cooperation Colonel Milan Ranković, Acting Head of Strategic Planning Department Colonel Dragan Tatomir, and Director of Directorate for European Integration and Project Management Colonel Katarina Štrbac.At the beginning of the address, Assistant Minister General Mojsilović looked back on the Strategy of National Security and Strategy of Defence of the Republic of Serbia which basically define defence policy of our country. He also pointed out that the Republic of Serbia remained attached to enhancement of cooperation with key international organisations in the field of defence and security, and to an active contribution in the framework of regional fora for cooperation in the South East Europe. According to him, if we observe the orientation of defence policy of the Republic of Serbia, the key goals are reflected in an efficient defence system, peace and favourable security environment and integration in European security structures, and in participation in certain international, not solely military but political organisations as well.
In accordance with the resolution of the National Assembly, as Assistant Minister General Mojsilović added, the Republic of Serbia is dedicated to military neutrality, assured that it is a true measure of relations with all interested parties and consequently, the Ministry of Defence will continue pursuing the balanced defence policy. When it comes to foreign policy of the Republic of Serbia, he stressed that the balanced defence policy of the Ministry of Defence was carried out through international cooperation with a great number of countries.
Speaking about the current reorganisation process in the Ministry of Defence, General Đorđević underlined that it had been initiated in 2013 when the Government initiated a project of reorganisation of public administration aimed at streamlining, downsizing of budget users.
According to him, after an analysis of the shortfalls of the previous organisation, the effects of the reorganisation in the Ministry of Defence are reflected in the establishment of the Sector of Civil Defence and Defence Preparations, by which capacities are going to be created for training of citizens for war and emergencies. The organisation of military health institutions is going to be optimised, and educational and scientific and research institutions will be unified in the University of Defence, and the unit for the protection of classified information is going to be set up, the museum activity is going to be unified within Human Resources Sector, and all common activities will be centralised at the level of organisational units directly subordinated to the minister of defence and the number of personnel in the Ministry of Defence is going to rationalised.
In her address Colonel Štrbac underlined that the Directorate for European Integration and Project Management was responsible for unification of work in relation to the European integration and project management. She highlighted that in order to become a full EU member, the Republic of Serbia was ready to harmonise its foreign security and defence policy to the greatest extent, with the positions and activities of the EU in all most important issues of global European and regional character. Through the EU integration process, Colonel Štrbac added – the Republic of Serbia is, among other, expressed its readiness to build capacities and capabilities of national security system.Defence Attaché of Austria in Belgrade, Colonel Thomas Ahammer, on behalf of foreign military representatives thanked the Ministry of Defence for that highly informative and useful activity. Apart from questions to which the final part of today’s briefing was dedicated, the defence attachés also pointed to the significance of continuity and timely briefing on the most important activities in defence system.
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