14.12.2021.
Minister Stefanović in TV Debate “Word against Word” on Radio Television of Serbia
This evening, participating in a TV debate “Word against Word” on the Radio Television of Serbia, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović PhD stated that presently Serbia has been strengthening its armed forces, because we wish, as a militarily neutral country, to have strong armed forces capable of protecting their Serbia and which are dedicated to their people, and that it is precisely why it is required to invest in those exact armed forces.
The participants in the debate were Bojan Torbica, Dragan Krsmanović and Konstantin Samofalov, and the debate addressed the questions if Serbia is capable of financing the defence system that is ready to respond to security challenges, and if the reintroduction of compulsory military service would be one of the ways to reinforce the defence system.
Debating on these topics, Minister Stefanović underlined that the present Serbia is a serious, strong, well organised state with serious armed forces.
- I say serious armed forces because back in 2012, when President Vučić was the minister of defence, Serbia realised how devastated and reduced the armed forces had got in the period between 2003 and 2012. We speak about the period during which almost 30,000 people left the armed forces or were dismissed or discharged from the armed forces. This is something that officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers know very well. At that time, the power of the armed forces sank so low, of course not owing to honourable and professional servicemen, but owing to those who were governing the state at the time – Minister Stefanović highlighted, stating that starting from 2012 the work has been done on the recovery and strengthening of practically devastated armed forces.
According to him, it is important for the citizens of Serbia that their country can ensure that the armed forces are well equipped, strong, and capable of protecting them and preserving their peaceful sleep.
- But, sadly, previous establishment devastated those armed forces. Our soldiers did not have boots, not to mention aircraft! Do you know how the apron looked like, where our on duty pair of aircraft was supposed to be? It even could not be called a pair, because we did not have two serviceable aircraft. It was terrible that there were no two usable planes able to take off – the minister said, pointing out that today the Serbian Armed Forces have 14 MiG-29 planes.
“Not to mention that they did not dare to speak about the battles of Paštrik and Košare, or even the defence of the country against NATO aggression” the minister added. Responding to claims of his interlocutors that salaries were high in the Serbian Armed Forces at the time of the previous establishment, the minister referred to those claims as nonsense.
- Let us look, in 2012 the average officers’ salaries in euros, calculated according to the exchange rate at that time, including allowances and daily allowances, were 694.6 euros, while today, the salaries are 1070.7 euros. Non-commissioned officers received salaries of 521.1 euro, while today they have 802.5. For soldiers the salaries were 338 euros, and today the average is 545 euros. Hence, the salaries were scandalously low at that time. We strive to increase even these salaries because they are not high enough – the minister stressed.
He added that the fact that some 600 engineers of the Military Technical Institute were laid off in just two years during the previous regime and the fact that in this year alone some 150 researchers have been employed in that very Institute show the difference between the previous and current establishments.
- The devastation of the armed forces, conducted by Boris Tadić and the Democratic Party and all of them together, is something that they cannot provide any counterargument for. There is no explanation as to why soldiers did not have boots, why we did not have two, and in some days not even one plane, and how we can now have “Lazar”, and “Nora”, and “Miloš”, and buy new aircraft, helicopters and new “Pantsirs”. There is nothing old, nothing inherited from Tito, but new, owing to President Vučić and everything that has been done within the reforms conducted in this country. These are the key things: today, soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers have better salaries, they have normal uniforms, they have high quality boots, and in this year, more than 1500 people have resolved their housing issue – Stefanović said.
He explained that the reason behind this is the fact that President Vučić behaves differently from the previous regime which devastated the armed forces, as officers themselves tend to say, more than NATO bombs.
- That is how great their reforms were – Stefanović underscored and asked them to explain how the family of a professional soldier with salary of 270 euros could survive on it.
He pointed out that, unlike those times, members of the armed forces can even buy flats today, at favourable prices, all over country.
- To buy a flat in Belgrade, today, at the price of 500 euros per square metre, is truly a great benefit and that is what President Vučić managed to obtain owing to economic reinforcement of our country. In the Ministry, we have managed to ensure that even contract soldiers are entitled to get bank loans. We desire strong armed forces, as a militarily neutral country, and we desire strong armed forces capable of protecting their Serbia, dedicated to their people and that is why it is necessary to invest in those armed forces – Stefanović said.
According to him it is wrong, as his opponents think, that politicians should decide which arms and equipment should be purchased.
- There is the Department for Development and Equipment in the armed forces which proposes the equipment that should be bought and that procedure is carried out throughout the Ministry. Everything is quite transparent, hence, it is done upon the proposal of the General Staff, the most competent people in our country – Stefanović explained, adding that it is scandalous to think that the decisions on the military equipment to be procured are made at any other place but the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces.
As he added, investing in the armed forces and motivating the people to serve in the military go hand by hand.
- It is absolutely possible to have both one and the other. As President Vučić said himself, just several days ago at a meeting with military leadership and representatives of our defence industry, we want to invest both in higher salaries and new equipment. We have also increased salaries for the soldiers on voluntary military service and attenders of the Reserve Officers School. Those people are immeasurably better paid. Today, the salary of a soldier on voluntary military service is 36,000 dinars per month, and it is the same for attenders of the Reserve Officers School. The salaries were only 18,000 dinars and less – the minister underlined.
When it comes to compulsory military service, the minister stressed that no decision has been made yet because we, as a serious country, want to have a serious public debate.
- The decision has not been made, since we, being serious and responsible men, are considering all possible aspects. We know that the armed forces are not there only to wage wars, but to provide assistance to the population in all situations, so we want to have a serious discussion with our people on this topic – Stefanović emphasised.
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