25.01.2016.

Day of Media Centre Odbrana marked

The ceremony marking 24 January, the Day of Media Centre Odbrana was held today at the Central Military Club. On that occasion, traditionally, journalism award "Ivan Markovic" for reporting on the activities of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces in 2015 and awards to the most successful athletes and sports team in the Serbian Armed Forces in the previous year were presented.

The jury for the Journalist Award "Ivan Markovic", chaired by editor and commentator of "Politika" Ljubodrag Stojadinovic, awarded the prize for reporting on the activities of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces in 2015 to Vladimir Barovic, for his reportage "Guardians of the Pannonian Peace" published in "New Magazine".

The most successful athlete of the Serbian Armed Forces in 2015 according to the jury is athlete, sprinter in the 200 and 400 meters race cadet Stefan Vukadinovic, and the prize for the best sports team was awarded to the tank biathlon team that in 2015 won third place in the competition of 16 teams in the international competition in Russia. The jury was chaired by Lieutenant Colonel Dragan Todorov, Head of the Section for Military Sports of the Military Academy.

Speaking about the importance of information, gallery and publishing activities in the defence system, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Zoran Djordjevic said that Media Centre Odbrana, as the bearer of these functions, daily contributes to the improvement of reputation of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces.

- This house and magazine Odbrana foster the tradition of the "Warrior" magazine and this is a confirmation of the quality that exists, and which has been reflected in a number of magazines and titles that the Media Centre Odbrana has issued - said Secretary of State Djordjevic.

Congratulating the holiday, Head of the Public Relations Department Navy Captain Petar Boskovic said that the goal of the institution is the affirmation of the current processes in the defence system, and that the need of success lies in the fact that the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces have been the most trusted institutions among our citizens for many years.

- The Public Relations Department has responded to more than 900 journalists and other requirements, published about 2,200 news and announcements, average daily attendance on the website of the
Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces is 8,650, the official Facebook page has 185,000 visitors, and the Twitter account more than 4,000 followers. We have implemented five marketing campaigns, recorded movies and commercials in military facilities and training grounds with 11 production companies - said Navy Captain Boskovic, adding that last year 1,320 events were recorded, the Art Ensemble "Stanislav Binicki" performed throughout Serbia 83 times, and multimedia production company "Zastava film" created 16 documentaries, educational and promotional films, 900 video reports and 2,200 pieces of information in the field of public relations.

Director of the Media Centre Odbrana Colonel Stevica Karapandzin, speaking about the achievements of the house and plans for the future, said that during the year behind us, the magazine "Odbrana" in each issue improved the diversity of topics, that the galleries of the house were visited by over 80 thousand people, and that more than 90 new titles were published.

- Thanks to the zeal and enthusiasm of the members of the Media Centre Odbrana and increasing creative and less service role of this institution, the Central Military Club of Serbia, the fortress at the Theatre Square, a symbol of Serbian military glory and a symbol of the defensive capacity of the fatherland, aside from its information services, is increasingly becoming a house military ethos, culture, traditions and spirituality, a house

with doors wide open not only for members of the Serbian Armed Forces, but for the public as well - the mission with which it was built - said Colonel Karapandzin.

Today's ceremony was an opportunity for the Secretary of State Djordjevic, on behalf of the Minister of Defence, to present Media Centre Odbrana with the military memorial medal for contribution to the defence of the Republic of Serbia, which on behalf of the house received Director Colonel Karapandzin.

In October last year, a decade was marked since the first issue of the magazine "Odbrana" and on the occasion of this important jubilee Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic awarded a Plaque of the Serbian Armed Forces to chief editor of the magazine Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Pocuc.

By the decision of the Board of Directors of the Media Centre Odbrana for the best associate of the Media Centre Odbrana in 2015 was declared Prof. Dr Nenad Popovic.

Media Centre Odbrana marks 24 January in memory of the day when in 1879 in Serbia the first issue of the military newspaper "Warrior" was published, whose tradition magazine "Odbrana" continues.