20.07.2018.

Minister Vulin: Serbia is militarily neutral and determined to make its own decisions

Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin and Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubiša Diković have attended today's ceremony marking the completion of the training of officers of the 64th class of Command and Staff Course of the National Defence School, at the Monument to the Unknown Hero at Mt. Avala.

The Minister of Defence presented the three first-ranked officers and officers of the armed forces of foreign countries with officer's daggers, while the Chief of General Staff conferred certificates on the acquired title of a command and staff officer to the participants in the 64th class of Command and Staff Course.

On behalf of the President of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces and himself personally, Minister Vulin congratulated the participants on the results achieved and everything they gave and did so that everyone can feel very proud today.

- Serbia is militarily neutral and determined to make its own decisions; it is not a country that is hiding and not capable to recognize evil. This generation has won its right to decide for itself about itself and will not leave it to anyone, no matter what. We will decide alone who our friends are, while our enemies choose and recognize us by themselves, anyhow. In the wars that we waged without our will or desire, we have shown that Serbia believes in freedom above all. There is only one value above the peace, to which we strive and for which we exist, and that is freedom. And freedom is safeguarded by strong, trained and satisfied army. Only such Serbian Armed Forces is a guarantor that Serbia will make its own decisions, that it will be free forever. Anyhow, the Serbs do not know different life, bur as a free people that makes its own decisions. That is why the Serbian Armed Forces is here to ensure the right of our children, those who are just to come to decide for themselves, to speak their own language, to believe in what they think they should believe, to exist as those before them existed, the minister of defence said.

He emphasized that today we are standing in the shadow of great heroes.

- Although a soldier has the right to fear, then here you can feel their bit of fear that they will not be worthy the size of those who walked before us. But when we look at the commanding officers of the 64th class we know that they will be worthy of their ancestors and memories and worthy of repeating, Minister Vulin said and thanked everyone who took children to this ceremony.

-I can see your children you took here in and thank you for being able to hear their voices, that they are here to share joy and pride on their fathers and that you believe in their future for which we exist. The Serbian Armed Forces is acquiring equipment and armaments; it is stronger and more powerful than it was, but the Serbian Armed Forces above all exists because of you. It is just because of these children, their future and the right to make their own decisions. It is up to us, up to this generation, not to give over anyone the right to decide for us, and not to leave to anyone else what our ancestors have fought for. It is up to us to make Serbia worthy of living in it, and our lives to be worthy of repeating, the minister of defence concluded.

Command and Staff Course is the second level of professional development for officers. It is organised and executed on a regular basis and lasts one school year. Schooling in the in 64th class was completed by 49 officers, 44 of them from Serbia, three from Bosnia and Herzegovina and two from Macedonia.

The first ranked one in the 64th class of Command and Staff Course is Major Ivan Stojadinović, the second ranked is Major Radovan Petrović, and the third is Major Dejan Nikitović.

Major Stojadinović addressed those present on behalf of the participants in the course.

- Command and Staff Course represents a milestone in the career of an officer and a significant step in their qualification to take over the most responsible duties in the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. It is also both recognition and moral satisfaction for the achieved results in the previous period, but also a responsibility for the professional performance of duties in future assigned posts, Major Stojadinović said.

Mixed Choir of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces also took part in today's ceremony, under the baton of Katarina Božić.