26.04.2012.

Defence Minister and Chief of General Staff visit Krusik in Valjevo

Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac and Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ljubisa Dikovi? with associates visited today the Holding Company "Krušik" in Valjevo.

After the talks with Director General of the company, Jovan Davidovic, the minister and his associates visited the facility for installing missile "Bumblebee", a short-range portable missile system and Forging Centre opened in late 2010, working also for the needs of "Sloboda" Cacak and civil-military sector.

The success of "Krusik," according to the Minister, reflects in the fact that in the last four years it has exported more goods than in the last quarter century altogether, but also in how much energy has been invested in the promotion of products of that factory, especially for the foreign buyers.

- Personnel has been renewed and rejuvenated, many young people work today in "Krušik". Salaries in this factory are not at the level of the defence industry, but are still higher than the level of metal production complex – the Defence Minister said, adding that today the possibilities of helping this factory were discussed.

According to him, the Ministry of Defence helped a lot to the development of "Krusik" and completion of "Bumblebee" is expected by July this year, when it will begin to enter into the inventory of our military, and is expected to be half the price of the similar foreign products. Today the capacities of the "Krusik" are mentioned in the world, as opposed to hunger strikes over pay a few years ago, and by the entry of our country in the European Defence Agency, the Valjevo factory will return to a healthy industry, Minister Sutanovac pointed out.

The Director of the company Jovan Davidovic underlined that with the help of the Ministry of Defence company "Krušik" appeared in the defence industry market with success, and that contracts for future employment of the capacities of this factory were agreed during today's visit.

Defence Minister and Chief of General Staff attended the signing of the agreement on implementation of investment projects "Gorenje Ltd" in the plant of that factory in Valjevo. The document was signed by the Deputy Prime Minister Verica Kalanovic, Member of the Management Board of "Gorenje" Branko Apat, Mayor of Valjevo Zoran Jakovljevic and Mayor of Stara Pazova Goran Jovic.

ANSWERS TO THE REPORTERS' QUESTIONS

As for the projected cost of "Bumblebee", it was said that it is around 35 thousand euros, with a tendency for the correction of the Ministry of Defence, unlike the French product of that type with the price of around 90 thousand euros.

According to Minister, the "Bumblebee" project was launched in 1994, and its revitalization started some three years ago, and with "Lasta" and similar projects it will be completed within the mandate of the current management of the Ministry of Defence.

Commenting on the upcoming elections in Kosovo and Metohija, the defence minister said that Serbia should have the presidential, republic and local elections. What is most important, he said, is the safety of citizens, who live south of the Ibar River, and we must have a broader picture of the safety of citizens in Kosovo and Metohija.