27.02.2020.
Minister Vulin: Serbia is now guarded by better and safer Armed Forces
Our Air Defense is much stronger than it used to be, and members of the Serbian Armed Forces are trained and ready to work on the new assets that have been acquired and are able to defend our skies and our country from now on, Minister of Defense Aleksandar Vulin when he was asked to comment on the question of one of the members of the parliament at today’s National Assembly session whether it is realistic for the Serbian Armed Forces to further strengthen its Air Defense over the coming period.
New assets acquired for the Serbian Armed Forces, such as the “Pantser-S1” Air Defense System, H-145 and Mi-35 helicopters, are not only new, but also the most contemporary and state-of-the-art in their class, Minister Vulin pointed out and recalled that the SA-3 GoaAir Defense system was purchased in 1975, and the last SA-6 Gainful systems in 1983, and between thenand 2012 – when Aleksandar Vučić became Minister of Defense, no modern anti-aircraft equipment was acquired.
Until 2012, Minister Vulin points out, there were days when no fighter aircraft could fly or was able to preserve our country’s sovereignty, because there were no tires, no fuel, no ammunition, and there were days when there was not enough food for the Armed Forces, so the Armed Forces were released home to eat so as not to waste the scarce reserves of food that were there. Also, Minister Vulin recalls that from 2000 to 2012, only eight missiles were purchased for the MiGs, and that today the Serbian Armed Forces have 14 MiG-29 aircraft.Today, each member of the Serbian Armed Forces has two M-10 uniforms and one more working M-93, infantrymen have new footwear, and for the flyers, besides modern aircraft, the best overalls, glasses, gloves, jackets were acquired, those they themselves asked to have purchased.
Minister Vulin also said that the salaries of members of the Serbian Armed Forces are much higher today in comparison to 2008, which was said to have been the best one when it comes to salaries. All Armed Forcesunits and all barracks are supplied with ammunition, food and fuel at a higher rate than ever, Minister Vulin stressed.
Just because the Serbian Armed Forces are equipping and getting stronger, there are bigger attacks on our country, Minister Vulin says, adding that we are not attacked and everybody considers us to be good only when Serbia and its Armed Forcesare weak. He added that we should know that they were attacking us because Aleksandar Vučić, Supreme Commander of our Armed Forces has created better Armed Forces.
Thanks to the National Assembly, which supported the strategies governing national defense and our views on the future of our defense, Minister Vulin added, we were first able to say that we would not be a member of NATO or any other alliance, and that we would protect Serbs wherever they may live.
- We had Armed Forces, in which the famous, heroic 72nd and 63rd Brigades were rendered Battalions. You now have Armed Forces that have reinstated them to the level of Brigades, such that are doing their best to empower them to advance, to get their education and training, and to receive higher ranks, higher salaries and better equipment. In line with the 1500 and 1500 plus projects, our Armed Forcesare equipped with the most modern night sights, the latest shooting weapons, the best domestically produced uniforms, which we are very proud of – emphasized Minister Vulin, adding that 49 new assets were introduced into the Serbian Armed Forces last year, that was not the case even during the YNA era, when the annual record was the introduction of eight assets.
Minister Vulin announced that on the parade on the occasion of the Day of the Armed Forces all the latest items that had been procured and introduced into our armaments would be displayed, and thanked the Members of the Parliament for their contributions and continued support to such Armed Forces.
- These are Armed Forces that we can be proud of and that are able to preserve Serbs wherever they may live, but also our Serbia – Minister Vulin said.
At the end of his address, Minister Vulin concluded that we live in a better Serbia, a more modern Serbia, guarded by better and more secure Armed Forces, where people are absolute patriots and professionals.
- Now they have a Supreme Commander and a state leadership that is able to help them, to preserve them and to restore their shattered faith when they have already ceased to believe that Serbia would guard them and that Serbia would understand them – Minister Vulin concluded.
