21.04.2017.
Reception on the occasion of the Serbian Armed Forces Day
The Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic and the Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic hosted tonight, on the occasion of the 23rd April – the Serbian Armed Forces Day, a reception at the Guards Club in Topcider.
The ceremony was attended by the envoy of the Serbian President Miroslav Latinovic, representatives of the Government, churches and religious communities, diplomatic and military diplomatic corps in our country, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces and numerous guests.
On this occasion, Minister Djordjevic congratulated the members of the defence system on the upcoming holiday of the Serbian Armed Forces Day, paying tribute to all members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces who continuously and self-sacrificingly execute all set tasks, render assistance to local authorities and citizens in eliminating natural disasters where it is necessary, organize and conduct numerous and complex exercises at our and foreign ranges representing the state and nation in the best possible way.
“Our members are constantly engaged in the Ground Safety Zone and on the border together with the members of the Ministry of the Interior providing their maximum contribution as being responsible for solving the migrant crisis. We can proudly say that we are in the top countries in Europe in terms of numbers in UN and EU multinational operations. At the moment 328 our members are engaged in multinational operations. We are present in 10 countries within 11 UN and EU multinational operations”, the Defence Minister stressed.
According to him, Serbia pursues the policy of military neutrality, which enables it to actively cooperate with everyone. The members of the Serbian Armed Forces participate on bilateral and multilateral basis in exercises in the country and abroad with the members of the Armed Forces of all partner countries, the Russian Federation, the USA, the countries in the region and in exercises within NATO and Partnership for Peace Programme.
“Today our Armed Forces represent an indispensable factor of scientific, technological and all other kinds of development of Serbia and in this sense the Ministry of Defence is a leader in this sphere, as someone who recognized the need of permanent education and development, which we have proved by the Agreement on dual education with the Ministry of Education”, Minister Djordjevic emphasized adding that we would like to complete and fill the defence system capacities with young people, who will have practice in the Serbian Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces enable young people to do voluntary military service and wear our uniform and they have accepted this in a great number with a wish to work in the Serbian Armed Forces after that, Minister Djordjevic reminded.
“Therefore we have provided additional 600 job vacancies, increasing our strength for 1100 job vacancies in total this year. It is all provided for young and capable people, who would like to serve Serbia as professional soldiers. Owing to the Government of the Republic of Serbia, which has created stable conditions and healthy basis for the improvement of standard of our members, the great efforts invested in equipping and modernization of the Serbian Armed Forces in order to enhance the level of operational capabilities, we as the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces are capable today of additionally strengthening the armed forces and their defence capabilities, and this task will be our permanent task in the future, as well”, Minister Djordjevic said.
Talking about the equipping of the Serbian Armed Forces, the Defence Minister emphasized that owing to the decisions and efforts of the Government, the equipping of the Air Force and Air Defence has started, and at the moment the Army is undergoing the process of equipping with modern artillery devices and equipment.
“At the same time we have started and we are now approaching the end of the process of equipping the first 1500 soldiers, who will have the most modern equipment for rapid reaction. Our goal is to equip all professional soldiers with the most modern equipment, so that each soldier can already be a soldier of the 22nd century”, Minister Djordjevic stressed.
Talking about the capacities of the defence industry, the Defence Minister assessed that modernization of the armed forces, which guarantee security to all our citizens, is dependent on development of our defence industry.
“Our defence industry has rightfully been recognized as the driving force of the entire Serbian economy and it is such case according to its results. We have managed to consolidate these companies and today they work without debts, pay their taxes and contributions. Last year the export of the defence industry was increased three times in comparison to 2012 whereas this year 20 percent larger export is expected than last year. We will continue with this practice in the following years”, Minister Djordjevic said adding that due to such potential our Government has decided to invest 43 million euros in the defence industry after many decades, which will bring new job vacancies, production growth and increase in export.
Talking about the historic importance of the holiday, the Defence Minister said that only by modernization and enhancement we would manage to maintain our national identity and continuity of the statehood of the Serbian nation and armed forces and we should proudly, with honour and dignity preserve and respect the works of our ancestors.
“I am convinced that in the following period the results of our hard work since 2012 with the clear vision and strengthening our economy, institutions and our state will become more visible in which, I have to point out, all our partners helped us”, Minister Djordjevic concluded thanking for generous support and excellent collaboration all state bodies, institutions and all partners out of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, especially the Government and the Serbian President, as well as all members of foreign armies, who, through joint exercises, helped members of our defence system acquire some new experiences and friendships.
The Serbian Armed Forces celebrate 23rd April as its holiday to mark the day when, on Palm Sunday in 1815, the decision was made to raise the Second Serbian Uprising to liberate Serbia from the Ottoman Empire, which later enabled the creation of the modern Serbian state.
