10.08.2016.
Prime Minister designate speaks about the defence and the military in his exposé
Aleksandar Vucic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia and a Prime Minister designate for forming the new government, presented the programme of the new government, contained in ten points before the members of the National Assembly at a special session.
Speaking about the issues of national security, Prime Minister designate Vucic stressed that the Republic of Serbia will, as before, remain firmly committed to peace, strengthening of cooperation, trust and good neighbourly relations, as important prerequisites of security and prosperity.In the previous period, the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces gave an important contribution to the success of the reforms, but they also bore a considerable burden of their implementation, Vucic said in his exposé. The Ministry of Defence has significantly contributed to the consolidation of the national defence industry and, in the conditions of applying austere measures to stabilize public finances, improved the preparations of all defence elements of our society for the defence.
The development of the defence system and the construction of the overall defence capabilities are based on the commitment of the Republic of Serbia to the military neutrality in relation to the existing military alliances and application of the concept of total defence, Prime Minister designate Vucic emphasized. A significant segment of this concept is to improve partnerships and multilateral cooperation with other countries and international organizations and institutions. Priority is the cooperation with the European Union, Russia, China and the United States, but also the countries of South-Eastern Europe and other friendly countries. An important aspect is the involvement in the Partnership for Peace programme and participation in the activities of the EU Common Security and Foreign Policy.
When it comes to the acquisition, the focus in the forthcoming period will be on purchasing new systems, modernization and maintenance of resources of the existing functional arms and military equipment. Budget for the acquisition will have a growing trend, and it is planned to increase the budget for the development of arms and military equipment, Vucic said in his exposé.
The Serbian Armed Forces will continue its engagement in securing the administrative line with Kosovo and Metohija and control the Ground Safety Zone and its cooperation with KFOR to ensure the safety and security of our citizens in Kosovo and Metohija. The Prime Minister designate said that the defence system will continue to contribute to building and maintaining peace in the world, participation in multinational operations under the auspices of the UN and the EU. Also, the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces will continue to provide assistance to the civilian population and civilian authorities in case of emergencies.
