24.01.2018.

Day of the Media Centre “Odbrana” Marked

Today, in the Ceremonial Hall of the Central Military Club, the Media Centre “Odbrana” observed the Day of the Centre, in a memory of 24th January 1879 when the first issue of a military magazine “Ratnik” (the Warrior) was published, whose tradition is continued by military journals and magazine “Odbrana”. Also, this was an opportunity to mark 139 of military print in Serbia.

During the celebration, which was attended by Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, numerous associates and friends of the Media Centre “Odbrana”, a military honorary medal for sport achievements was presented to female athletics team of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, which had won a bronze medal at the 48th World Military Marathon Championship.

The minister of defence presented the award to Lieutenant Nevena Jovanović, Corporal Nataša Ćulafić and civilian Ksenija Bubnjević, and he also presented a journalists’ award “Ivan Marković” which was for the year 2017 awarded to a journalist of the Public Broadcasting Service RTS Ana Manojlović, for the story “Call for military exercise” which had been broadcasted on 5th July last year in the TV programme “Oko magazine”, on the First Channel of the Public Broadcasting Service.

The best athlete of the Serbian Armed Forces in the past year is Second Lieutenant Stefan Vukadinović, member of the NCO Training Centre of Training Command, who is a member of athletics national team of Serbia and winner of numerous medals in national and international competitions, while the title of the most successful sport team went to practical shooting IPSC – “Cobras” team consisting of: Lieutenant Commander Igor Ignjatović, Sergeants Branislav Bulatović, Milovan Janković, Mićo Vorkapić, Igor Novaković, Dejan Nikić and Vladimir Stojilјković - Military Police Battalion of Special Purspose “Cobras”.

Congratulating the holiday to the members of the Media Centre “Odbrana”, Minister Aleksandar Vulin sent them a message that the struggle never ended and that if he could define the work of the Media Centre, and the reason why our armed forces existed, in just few words, then he would sum it up in two words: truth and responsibility.

- These two words explain the best the essence of our engagement and calling of the Media Centre “Odbrana”; responsibility towards the tradition that we have, and towards all those warriors who made the glorious name of the Serbian Army worthy of repeating and remembering; responsibility towards tradition, to all those who existed before us, but responsibility towards the future generations that are yet to learn about their forefathers in order to desire to become just like them – Minister Vulin said and stated that in histories of some other nations there were times, wars and ancestors of which one should be ashamed and which should be forgotten and their deeds and their examples never to be repeated, but in the history of our people, and in the tradition of our armed forces there were no wars that we should be ashamed of because we had not asked for those wars, or provoked them and there were no ancestors whose actions had brought shame on us or made us less proud. He added that because of that their names, actions and their lives needed to be recorded, because they were worthy of repeating.

- That is why we have a responsibility towards the future generations to preserve thos examples for them and set examples worthy of repeating. The second word is the truth. Let us always tell the truth about our people and the time in which we live, and about the time in which we lived, never to forget a single letter, never to let any experience of our warriors to remain unrecorded or them to leave the stage of live without leaving every word, every action, every letter behind and memories worth remembering and repeating and to have them remain just like they were. Because in very difficult and terrible times they spoke and witnessed the truth by their struggle and their lives – the minister of defence said and added that our task was to be responsible and tell truth and keep it, because it was our task, right and obligation that we had won and which we will not and wish not to relinquish to anyone.

- You are all part of this important task and without each and one of you we would not be certain of success, and we would definitely not be worthy of memory and repeating. The Media Centre “Odbrana” should continue its persistent and hard work on learning, creating and finding out new directions of military thought, but at the same time on understanding something that is not solely the military thought – understanding of the needs of our people, because the Armed Forces of Serbia is a part of our people – its best part. The Media Centre “Odbrana” has its important role in the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces and we will continue strengthening that role, expanding it so that we are recognised and to become day after day ever greater part of everyday life of our citizens since the Serbian Armed Forces, both in peace and in war, have always been primarily part of life of its people for which they exist, at which they rejoice, which they protect and for which they will grow, develop, equip and train, learn and for which they will exist – Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said.

Colonel Stevica Karapandžin, Director of the Media Centre “Odbrana” spoke about the achievements in the previous year and about the plans for the future. He confirmed that, in the previous year, like always, the institution endeavoured to be a worthy upholder of tradition of our predecessors, the founders of the journal Ratnik and builders of Warriors’ Club.

- In 2017, with three quarters of optimal manning, we published 23 issues of magazine “Odbrana” and provided, on average, media coverage of four events per day. We published 135 books and journals, which is in comparison to 2016 an increase of 20 per cent, and for the needs of 125 activities of defence system, we produced four hundred graphical products. Last year, the number of events held in the Central Military Club was 359, which by far surpassed not only the number of working days but the number of events in the previous years. Three years ago the number of our visitors was 60 thousand, two years ago it was 80 thousand, and during the last year the number arrived at 90 thousand, predominantly for exhibitions in our galleries, promotions of our publications, and for other events among which I especially emphasise recently reaffirmed literary soirées – Colonel Karapandžin said and reminded of successfully conducted thematic public debates held at the International Book Fair in Belgrade.

During 2017, the Media Centre “Odbrana” established successful cooperation with numerous institutions and renowned individuals, and as sign of appreciation and hope that it will continue in the future, awards were presented: in the field of press-information activity – to Milena Miletić, the most successful associate of magazine “Odbrana”, and in the field of publishing activity – to Nikola Marić, retired Colonel and Professor Dr Veljko Đurić Mišina, for a Photomonography “Warriors’ Club” in which the authors chronologically presented the past 85 years of the existence of that edifice.
In the field of promotion of culture, the award was presented to Dušan Đoković, Director of Arts Academy with which the Media Centre “Odbrana” has carried out several significant projects.

A scroll of honour was conferred to Brigadier General Željko Petrović, Commander of the First Army Brigade, for the whole-hearted assistance and cooperation in the realisation of the thematic public debates at the 62nd International Book Fair.

The plaque of the Ministry of Defence for the most prominent associate of the year was presented to Dušan Babac who has, for many years now, been among the most circulated and most read authors of the Media Centre “Odbrana”.