02.07.2018.
Pitiful Falsehood and Rage of the National Convention
A public debate on strategic documents was carried out on time and in accordance with the law. The NCEU was timely informed and invited to participate in the public debate, however, its representatives joint the debate no sooner than 15th May 2018, which was the last day of the public debate and they asked for the extension of deadline, for which there were no legal grounds.
Desiring to give another chance to the NCEU, disregarding the open contempt that NCEU holds for deadlines and rules, the Ministry of Defence subsequently organised a separate working meeting with representatives of the NCEU on 23rd May 2018. During the meeting, it was agreed that the NCEU would send concrete proposals and suggestions to the Ministry of Defence by 28th May 2018.
Despite the fact that the proposals and suggestions were received no sooner than 30th May, the Ministry of Defence, in line with the level and character of the said strategic documents, acknowledged the proposals and suggestions and incorporated them in the drafts. Our patience was rewarded by attacks that do not have any grounds whatsoever in the profession, even less in our behaviour.
We note that the public was timely informed about the beginning of development of the said documents, and that equal participation was enabled to all citizens, representatives of governmental and non-governmental sector. In that process, the Ministry of Defence fully abode by the law and valid regulations, which is necessary and obliging for all the participants of the public debate and for the civil society organisations as well.
We regret the fact that very NGOs differentiate themselves into those of the first and second class, and into those to which the deadlines and rules do not apply and those to which they do apply. The Ministry of Defence does not make such distinctions no matter which entity is in question.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Aleksandar Živković
