19.03.2020.
Minister Vulin: Serbian Armed Forces have not lost a single shred of combat readiness and they are prepared to protect the Serbs wherever they live
The Serbian Armed Forces are at their full combat capacity, capable and ready to protect their state regardless of new activities in a state of emergency – the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said on Pink TV morning programme.
- In addition to taking on a huge responsibility, i.e. securing healthcare centres and 17 migrant centres, controlling border crossings, setting up quarantine sites, maintaining military healthcare, the Serbian Armed Forces have not lost a shred of their combat readiness and combat capabilities. We are now able to protect our country, to protect our airspace, to protect our entire territory and the Serbs, wherever they live, in case someone thinks that the Serbian Armed Forces are now occupied with other things and cannot think about whether somebody is fighting with Serbs somewhere or jeopardizing our territorial sovereignty - the Minister of Defence emphasized.
He pointed out that the Serbian Armed Forces are a part of this society and are there to help their country at any moment - sometimes the country defends itself against external aggression, sometimes we participate in peacekeeping missions, and the third mission of the Serbian Armed Forces is to assist civilian authorities whenever it is necessary.
- The Serbian Armed Forces have not seized power in the country; they are following orders of the legitimate authorities in this country. The Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces said that our engagement was necessary and we made ourselves available to civilian authorities - the Minister of Defence emphasized.
He added that the Serbian Armed Forces made a proper assessment based on all the parameters and submitted to the supreme commander their position that a state of emergency should be declared.
- We did not prepare for any epidemic; this is not the job of the military. But we prepared for fulfilling our every purpose whenever we are ordered to, and now the results are being seen. Now we can safely say that commodity reserves are full, that the armed forces have more food than ever. If the military need to make a camp for 500 or 1000 people, they can make it in two days - Minister Vulin emphasized, adding that to provide everything that is necessary now, someone had to work every day as if this situation would happen the next day.
It did happen, added the Minister of Defence, and now the military are here to help.
- And it shows how much the country has strengthened and how much the state has changed for the better, and that the measures that President Vučić implemented gave results. In the fight against the coronavirus, we can see that the state is functioning and this did not happen accidentally and overnight. It shows that we have worked for years for the state to be able to protect its people - said Minister Aleksandar Vulin on the TV Pink’s morning programme.
