17.04.2020.
Minister Vulin: Serbian Armed Forces have made Serbia proud
"The members of the Serbian Armed Forces have carried out all orders in the fight against the virus, and we have not allowed our combat readiness to be reduced for a single moment," the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said in an interview for the holiday issue of the "Kurir" newspaper.
He stressed that the military executed all the orders of the Supreme Commander Aleksandar Vučić and everything that the medical profession deemed necessary.
"We helped the Ministry of Internal Affairs to secure all border crossings, took over the task of securing about 150 social care institutions, more than 120 different medical facilities, and 20 migrant camps. We have set up temporary hospitals which we are now monitoring" Minister Vulin said highlighting that their biggest successes were setting up one of the best Covid hospitals at Karaburma Military Medical Centre in ten days and the construction of another hospital in Karaburma in just 15 days, which will be open in a few days.
"We did not allow our combat readiness to be diminished for a single moment," Minister Vulin said. “Serbia is protected, and Serbs can rely on us wherever they live. Imagine what it would be like if we did not have a military like this. Who would do our job for us? It can always be better, but members of the military have made Serbia proud".
Minister Vulin compared the current fight against the coronavirus with the Valjevo Hospital in 1915, but neither then nor now, he points out, "did Serbia die. It is alive, strong and combat-ready".
“We have seen the way our country fights, what its weaknesses and strengths are. We have seen how important it is to have a strong leadership and how important it is that the head of state is Vučić, who is able to motivate and bring together both people and the system”,said Minister Vulin.
He believes that after the victory over the virus, we will be better people, that we will turn more to true values, family, solidarity, the state, the fight to preserve the nation, the willingness to work hard, to sacrifice, and as a special value he highlights the fact that in this great disaster we have rediscovered understanding among generations. "The young have helped the elderly and the elderly have appreciated the care of the young. That was not felt for a long time".
Minister Vulin emphasizes that assistance from Russia and China and many other countries cannot be forgotten! He also wondered how many deaths there would be in Serbia if we were dependent on the import of medical equipment from the European Union.
"The migrant crisis wounded the idea of European solidarity, and the coronavirus killed it. All countries closed the borders, and brought out the military to guard them. Italy was assisted by China, Russia and Cuba, countries to which Italy has imposed various sanctions through the EU. The EU has banned the export of medical equipment and medicines outside its borders. If we were dependent on those imports, how many deaths would there be in Serbia? If we voted against China and Russia in international forums, aligning ourselves with the EU, if we imposed sanctions on Russia as well, how much help could we expect? ”, wonders Minister Vulin, pointing out the importance of everything Serbia has managed to provide on its own in the fight against the epidemic, led by President Vučić.
He pointed out that most of the infected members of the Serbian Armed Forces are feeling well, that their health status is monitored daily, and they are in Covid hospitals, temporary hospitals, quarantines and self-isolation, with mild symptoms and on the road to recovery. He thanked the editorial office of “Kurir” for donating newspapers and magazines to temporary hospitals, because "it means a lot to the patients of temporary hospitals that somebody is thinking about them and that they are not forgotten and rejected."
The Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin, says in the interview with “Kurir” that he will celebrate this Easter with the military. And he will remember it for the fact that people are dying and that many people are spending this holiday without families, concerned about their health. "I will also remember it for the fact that my children, wife and parents feel well and for being proud to have participated in the fight for the life of Serbia."
