26.02.2025.
Finance Service Day marked
A ceremony to mark the Finance Service Day, which was attended by Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić, was held at the Guard Club in Topčider today.
By the decision of the President of the Republic of Serbia, February 26 has been designated as the Finance Service Day and today it is being celebrated for the first time on this particular day. On February 26, 190 years ago, by the decree on the composition of the State Council and the Prince’s Office, the existence of the military budget and accounting in the Serbian army was legally regulated for the first time in recent Serbian history.On the occasion of the Finance Service Day, Colonel Luka Zloporubović, Head of the Budget Department, Budget and Finance Sector, presented Prime Minister Vučević and Minister Gašić with plaques in recognition of their contribution to the improvement of the Finance Service’s work and the Ministry of Finance for strengthening cooperation, on whose behalf State Secretary Saša Stevanović accepted the plaque.
Minister Gašić addressed the audience, speaking about the history of the Finance Service and saying that “today we are celebrating 190 years since the creation of the finance service, which, over time, functionally, organizationally and personnel-wise has developed into a modern finance service that exists today in all our units, commands and institutions”.- The Budget and Finance Sector, as the central level of the finance service in the Ministry of Defence, is a body of experts, which, among other things, manages finance business processes and the activities of the finance service in our defence system. In the past, financial affairs were managed by officers of other branches and professions who had spent a certain amount of time in service, completed appropriate courses and passed professional exams.
For a long time now, we have been training finance staff at the Military Academy’s regular programme of study - Defence Economics, and post-graduate degrees are pursued both within the defence system and in the educational institutions of the Republic of Serbia - Minister Gašić said.
According to him, as of this year, future reserve finance officers will also be trained, which will additionally ensure the staffing of war units with quality personnel, and at the same time, facilitate their admission to professional military service, in accordance with our needs.
- Serbia's determination to be an independent, neutral, self-sufficient and complete country within the borders established by the Constitution, amidst changing security risks, challenges and threats, required a different approach to the financing of the defence system. The Ministry of Defence, in cooperation with the Government and with the selfless help of the President of the Republic, as the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, has stimulated a growth rate in military budget to the almost unattainable - two percent of the gross domestic product. Such economic circumstances and the determination of the state leadership have enabled us to make our military a leader in the region, even compared to more developed countries, in terms of modern weapons, equipment and professional competence - said the Minister of Defence.
According to him, our finance service was a pioneer in the introduction of information technology in its work, and recently new payroll and accounting information systems have been introduced.
- Continuing development aimed at supporting the execution of the missions and tasks of the Serbian Armed Forces and providing the management with reliable information necessary for making decisions in real time is their primary responsibility - said the Minister of Defence and congratulated the members of the Finance Service on their anniversary, expressing his belief that, by working responsibly and professionally, they will continue to ensure rational, economical and legal use and management of financial resources in the future.
Colonel Zloporubović congratulated the members of the Finance Service on their anniversary, expressing hope that they would continue to perform all their tasks responsibly and conscientiously. He addressed the cadets of the Military Academy, future finance officers, expressing his expectation that they would be appointed to their initial duties next year.
The Minister of Defence and the Head of the Budget Department presented awards to deserving members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces for the work results they have achieved.
The ceremony was attended by members of the respective collegiums of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff, representatives of defence industry factories and numerous guests.
At today's ceremony, a film about the history and achievements of the Finance Service, produced by the Military Film Centre "Zastava Film" of the Public Relations Department was shown at the ceremony.
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