13.05.2016.

Marking the Serbian Armed Forces Legal Service Day

In the Great War Hall of the Old General Staff building today, the Serbian Armed Forces Legal Service Day, 10th May, has been marked to commemorate the same date in 1864, when the Military Penal Code was passed.

The ceremony was attended by Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic, Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic, members of the collegium of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of General Staff, representatives of supreme judicial authorities, retired members of the legal service and other guests.

Congratulating the holiday to members of the Legal Department, Minister Djordjevic pointed

out that the work that they perform is responsible, in the interest of our country, our ministry, but also us. Pointing to the importance of the lawyers in the defence system, minister Djordjevic recalled a quote of Marcus Aurelius which testifies to how important it is to carry out the chosen profession in a dedicated and responsible manner for each individual but also for the social order as a whole.

Recalling the history of legal service in the army, the Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Colonel Nebojsa Nikolic stressed that the new force of that service with a rich tradition is recently rejuvenated cadre, as well as all employees in the legal service must retain professional independence. He also pointed out the most important achievements of this service between the two holidays.

The tradition of the military legal service is linked to 10 May 1864, when Serbia passed the Military Penal Code governing organization and procedure of military courts in the normal and emergency situations. Since 2004, the work of military disciplinary courts has been established and they have taken over a large part of the activities within the competence of former military judicial authorities.