01.03.2018.
Minister Vulin: We are Partners to all, Servants to No one
This evening a celebration was held in the Hall of the Guard Club in Topčider to observe 5th March – Day of the Military Intelligence Agency. The reception was attended by Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Ljubiša Diković with the members of the Board, ministers of the Government of Serbia, representatives of the National Assembly, state institutions, religious communities, military diplomatic corps and the representatives of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces.
Minister Vulin pointed out on that occasion that the Military Intelligence Agency continued the glorious tradition of military intelligence officers and military diplomats.
- Those were the great names that once represented this country and its people, and they sometimes acted for them in front of a powerful and strong enemy. Without our intelligence officers, and without diplomats, the history of our armed forces would not have been written in golden and glorious letters. In all the wars that we waged, and we waged them unwillingly, caused by somebody else’s desires, we waged them because of the inflicted force and injustice we have always been a step ahead of those who led the wars. In the Balkan Wars, in the First World War as well, all our intelligence officers knew how and where the attack on Serbia would come from, just like the entire nation sensed and felt that the evil was coming and that we could not escape it, but that we would have to face it. In the times of peace, they have been and they are diplomats who spread the glory of our armed forces, who spread the word of what we produce, of what we offer, of what we wish to learn from others, and what we wish others to learn from us – the minister of defence pointed out.
According to him, the world is changing, but not for the better and it is not a better or safer place, and no matter how nice and cosy diplomatic receptions may seem, the old and often new hostilities exist and they are as certain as much as they are hidden.
- In the world where everything seems prearranged and certain, in the world where the great and mighty look invincible and assured, diplomacy is not everything. Some of it, and I would say a predominant part, is the intelligence work and struggle to protect something that must not be found out, and to discover something that others would like to keep for themselves alone, and it deals with our armed forces, our country and our nation. Only the military diplomats and military intelligence officers can protect their country, each in their line of work, whenever it is required and as much as it is required – Minister Vulin stressed.
- We are partners with many – he added – quite often with the great and mighty, and we can share, we can find out, we can recognise common enemies of the human kind.
- We are partners with everybody, but we are servants to no one, and no one’s size or power are the reason enough for us to do anything against our own interests, against our freedom, our independence, our way of life. We are partners with many, but servants to no one. There is no size, no power, no strength in numbers, no riches for which we will deviate from the policy of military neutrality, from treasuring our own territory, from wishing our people to be safe and peaceful. The great and far world storms deserve our knowledge, our information, and the great and far world storms deserve that we know everything about them, but we have to be at a safe distance from them, whenever they are not close to our borders. We are a reliable and stable partner who honours his word and the one that you can rely on at any moment, whether it is the migrant crisis, fight against terrorism, fight against organised crime, but no one mist and can think that he is great, powerful and strong enough to make us his servant and to make us relinquish our own interests – stressed Minister Vulin.
He also underlined that as long as Serbia had such armed forces, diplomats and intelligence officers, it could rest assured and peaceful, confident in itself and the days that were yet to come; the days that are difficult, that can and will be even more difficult, but the days in which we will be able to rely upon our armed forces, just like in the past, to rely on the best among them, on those who will act on our part, and who will obtain the knowledge before those who would like to harm this people and this country.
- They say that there is no such thing as lasting friendship in this world, and that only interests exist. We have no greater interest than freedom, independence, security of this country and its people. Long live the Serbian Armed Forces! Long live Serbia! – Minister Vulin exclaimed at the end of his address.
Deputy Head of the Military Intelligence Agency Colonel Zoran Stojković, after reminding of the history of the military intelligence activity in these parts, stressed that timely information of the state and military leadership and the protection of security and interests of the Republic of Serbia make every day work of the members of the MIA.
- We support the activities of the Serbian Armed Forces and its missions, including ever increasing engagement of their members in the crisis areas of the world. The job that we do is not simple, but it is challenging, it demands full dedication, courage, and most of all, patriotism. Hence, I would like to pay homage to my colleagues who deserve credit for the results of the Agency – Colonel Stojković stressed adding that he was proud of the fact that the MIA and all its members protect the interests of Serbia and all its citizens by doing their job in a professional manner, and honouring legal frameworks.
He also highlighted that the character of security challenges had drastically changed in the 21st century, and consequently, the work of the Agency was in the previous period marked by intensive engagement of all its capacities on fulfilling the asks in line with the foreign policy and defence interests of our country.
According to his words, today the Republic of Serbia has 22 defence attaché’s offices, and more importantly, they are all in important world centres and the countries of the region.
- By performing military diplomatic function, the MIA ensures that our defence attachés properly represent the Republic of Serbia, and act in the interest of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces abroad and contribute to development of military-to-military cooperation. In order to respond to challenges of the times in front of us, we will continue strengthening our organisation, to modernise ourselves and follow the world trends in the area of intelligence work. The state and military leadership may rest assured that the MIA and all its members will in the future continue to be the first line of defence of the Republic of Serbia – concluded Colonel Stojković.
This year, the MIA marks a significant jubilee – the 140th anniversary of the military diplomatic presentation of Serbia, and the Day of Military Intelligence Agency is observed in memory of 5th March 1884 when pursuant to Decree on General Staff Service in the Operations Division of the Main General Staff, a Foreign Section was established tasked to “study countries and armed forces of European and neighbouring states”.
