20.07.2022.
Statement
Regarding the manipulation and untruths that are still being spread with regard to the plane crash in Greece, involving an aircraft that had been transporting products made by the Serbian defence industry, the Ministry of Defence once again highlights the facts that we announced to the public a few hours after the plane crash.
The Republic of Serbia observes all international regulations governing the trade and export of weapons and military equipment and our defence industry will continue to manufacture and sell products to all validated end users, i.e. countries that are not under international sanctions. We underline that the plane that crashed in Greece had been transporting the products manufactured by our industry to a validated end user - the Ministry of Defence of Bangladesh.
The owner of the shipment, containing about 11.5 tonnes of instructional mines and illuminating mortar shells, was the Serbian private company Valir, and the plane which was transporting the shipment was owned by a Ukrainian private airline. The Ministry of Defence has already informed the public about this, and the air carrier and the Ministry of Defence of Bangladesh have also released their statements regarding the accident. The latter has specified that the mines were intended for their military and frontier guard. That is the whole truth and these facts have been confirmed by all actors.
The organization of the flight, which had taken off from Niš, and was due to make “technical stops” in Amman, Riyadh, Ahmedabad before reaching its final destination in Dhaka, and the choice of the airline were not within the competence of the Republic of Serbia. We also underline that Serbia is not responsible for issuing permits to fly over foreign territories, because it is a sovereign decision of each country, to which the carrier applies for an overflight permit in such cases. In this case, our country fully complied with international law and fulfilled all international obligations, and we are providing support to the Greek authorities in conducting a detailed investigation.
Serbia did not use this plane to transport weapons to Ukraine. Moreover, since 2016, Serbia has been using software to keep electronic records on all the permits issued for the transfer of weapons and military equipment from Serbia, and none have been issued for the transport of any type of weapons or military equipment from Serbia to Ukraine. It is clear that certain domestic and foreign circles are disappointed that the original allegations that Serbia was transporting weapons to Ukraine have been debunked and that they are running out of ideas for inventing lies that might harm Serbia and its defence industry.
Serbian Defence Industry companies exported five hundred million dollars’ worth of weapons last year, and they employ about 22,000 people. About 100,000 people, including the subcontractors and the families of employees, live off of this industry, not to mention that this money also contributes to the country’s GDP and economy. Guided only by its own interests, Serbia will continue to produce modern equipment and weapons and to export them to all the buyers that have all the permits required by domestic and international law.
The prices of defence industry products are formed in accordance with market conditions and there is a constant struggle to sell them on the market. The defence industry companies sell their products directly to the markets where this is possible, but when it comes to the markets which do not allow direct sales, the companies need to adapt in an effort to sell as many of their products as possible. Whether foreign buyers will hire business intermediaries is a decision that the Republic of Serbia cannot influence. What is important for us is that our factories sell products at their own prices, and that the services of a business intermediary are paid for by the foreign customer, not by our factories or the Republic of Serbia.
The Republic of Serbia will remain a reliable partner to all international subjects, meeting the highest standards and complying with all norms of domestic and international law regarding the trade in weapons and military equipment. It has never and will never export weapons and military equipment to countries under UN sanctions.
