23.02.2012.
Interview with the VOA Director Gen Dragan Vladisavljevic
CRISIS STRENGTHENS EXTREMISM
One of the most important issues for the national interests and security of the Republic of Serbia is the problem of the status of Kosovo and Metohija, said the new magazine the head of Military Intelligence Agency Brigadier General Dragan Vladisavljevic
After several years of acting director Brigadier General Dragan Vladisavljevic was appointed director of the National Day Military Intelligence Agency (VOA).
"The military intelligence agency’s goal, as a service, is to preempt the threats from outside and in that sense perceives the danger resulting from the protracted crisis in this area," said in an exclusive interview Vladisavljevic. By profession a pilot in the Air Force, Vladisavljevic was the MIA (VOA) deputy director since 2009, and by a recent decision of the Serbian President Boris Tadic appointed director."We strive to promptly identify the types of threats and possible perpetrator to indicate the need for preventive action and to support national and military leadership in making decisions of importance to national security. In this work with all national security agencies, according to similar standards and with the same goal, "says general Vladisavljevic.
Kosovo is a sore wound and a crisis point in every respect. What is the focus of your intelligence service in the territory of Kosovo
"The situation in Kosovo and Metohija is being monitored, taking into account the particularities of this part of our territory, with the focus on external influences that manifest themselves in the area, be they political, military, or" non-military "nature.
In military terms, the international military presence contributes to the stability of Kosovo and Metohija, but the ambitions "of the Kosovo security forces" to transform into "armed forces", the so called, state of Kosovo is a cause for concern. Therefore, we believe that the support of some countries the process is a step backwards.
As for the former KLA is concerned, it is known that many of them committed war crimes. Most are still at large while some of them are engaged in politics; some are in the Kosovo security forces, while the most extreme members at times engage in activities of extremist and criminal groups. We monitor this, including the ability to cooperate with international terrorist networks.
In the situation in Kosovo, which has the potential dangers to the state of Serbia
As in other states, a potential threat to the security of our country is a threat "non-military" nature.
But most important are the threats of ethnic and religious extremism and organized crime. Ethnic extremism involves revisionist demands to change the boundaries. The region is significantly increasing religious extremism and promoting various missionaries and "charity". Religious extremists have a different vision of the Balkans and interior states, and tend to realize the idea by any means, including terrorism. Events confirm that in future we can expect to strengthen them.
Main security challenges Serbia is facing are organized crime and corruption. The main forms are drug trade, contraband of excise goods, trafficking people and arms smuggling, as well as money laundering from such sources.
What are the main security problems in the region and what threatens peace in the region
Firstly, the general difficult economic and social situation are very difficult, which inevitably affects the stability of the state. In economic terms, South Eastern Europe remains the most underdeveloped part of the continent. Some rightwing political parties are trying to take advantage of existing economic and social dissatisfaction of people, to foster and encourage nationalism and intolerance, and support for the revision of existing international agreements.
On the military level all countries in the region to assess the risk of conventional military threat to low, and the modernization and reform of the armed forces are mainly focused on participation in multinational operations.
The security situation in the South Eastern Europe is still complex. Among the dominant threats ethnic and religious extremism and organized crime are most evident and dangerous.
How do you gather the data for your work?
Within the jurisdiction and legal authority the data is collected from open sources, through contact with the legal and physical persons, across the network of delegations of defense, intelligence and surveillance engagement of our military capacities and exchange of information with related domestic and foreign security services.
We obtain a large number of data obtained from open sources, all kinds of media, both print and electronic, of publications, research and scientific works. The majority of information is now publicly available, but the necessary general and specific skills that are more useful in terms of intelligence.
The data on security challenges, risks and threats are collected the classical way, using contacts with persons who have certain information necessary for security.
Who controls the operation of the agency?
All those bodies within the government and parliament, the Minister of Defense and Inspector General control our work. For consistent implementation and prevention of the data collection competent and relevant internal control bodies are in charge of this.
Why did you choose an owl to symbolize VOA
An owl is a generally accepted as a symbol of almost 75 percent of the military and intelligence institutions around the world, representing the oldest symbol of knowledge, wisdom, awareness, clarity of mind, analytical thinking and lurking in silence to wait for opponents.
How many employees are there in the agency, what is the educational structure and their average salary?
Staffing is an official secret, but we can tell you that the staff structure includes 65 % of professional officers, 22 percent are civilians and 13 percent are noncommissioned officers. More than two-thirds of employees in the agency have university degrees. Knowledge of foreign languages is one of the conditions for the VOA and it is increasingly gaining importance.
The salaries of members of the Agency are the same as the salaries of other members of the defense system , but they gain benefits for performing specific services.
What sort of checks must those who wish to work in this agency undergo?
A candidate for the VOA, in addition to the general conditions prescribed by law and regulations governing the Army of Serbia, must meet specific criteria relating to professional qualifications, basic safety check and a positive assessment of psychological skills, and possess adequate skills and personality structure for the VOA, which is determined by psychological testing.
Otherwise, the selection process often lasts for several months. It is a complex procedure caused by the high demands for quality personnel, which is consistent with the special character of the intelligence service. For all applicants, regardless of whether it is professional officers or civilians, carried out a series of tests and only those who meet all these criteria can be employed in the Agency.
OUR GUYS -PRLE AND TIHI
The period of your service after the Second World War is particularly interesting, so whom can you single put as being a very important intelligence officer?
I will mention the national hero Milos Vuckovic, wartime intelligence officer who after the war took up a high post in the Army's military intelligence agencies. The action of inserting intelligence officers into Belgrade, three weeks before liberation, led by Vuckovic, served as a motive for the filming of Povratak otpisanih ("Intelligence officers have successfully performed their duties during the nineties, a special chapter of our engagement was during 1999 of which we are rightly proud. Even our former opponents expressed respect and recognition to our work. However, as you know, one of the peculiarities of our job is maintaining confidentiality, so we are not yet able to talk about those individuals who stood out in their jobs.
Putnik as the First Chief
As early as in 1884 , by the Decree on General Staff within the operating departments a detached department was established whose task was to "study the states and the armies of European and neighboring countries, especially their organization, recruitment, composition, the numbers, distribution, education and organization." This external Department began operating in spring 1886, and the first chief was a celebrated military commander Vojvoda Radomir Putnik, who had the rank of major.
