24.12.2021.
Class of December takes oath
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, has attended today the oath of enlistment ceremony for military volunteers (class of December) at the “Vojvoda Živojin Mišić“ barracks in Valjevo. He said that strong armed forces stand as a bulwark of security for every person in this country, as a deterrent against anyone who would even think of harming this country and this nation.
Minister Stefanović told the young soldiers and participants in the Air Force and Air Defence NCO Course, who have also taken the military oath today, that he is aware of their sense of pride at this special and memorable moment.- Serbia is a country of proud, brave, invincible people, I would say, a country of glorious and honourable past. To swear an oath to Serbia, an oath of allegiance, and join its armed forces is a special thing in the life of every man. For me, that special day was September 27th. It is something that creates a special kind of nervousness in a person. I uttered these or similar words, because the wording of the oath has changed, but its essence has remained the same. Like you, I uttered the words promising that I would always be with my country, with my people and protect them if necessary - said Stefanović, adding that those words would be etched on their hearts forever and remind them of everyone else who had spoken them before, swearing that they would always be with their country, whenever needed.
According to him, the young men and women who have taken the oath today have shown how unique they are by making a decision to serve in the military.
- I am genuinely grateful to you, and so is the Ministry of Defence and the entire country, and believe me, these are not empty words. We are truly proud of each of you. These wonderful people standing behind you, your fathers and mothers, sisters, brothers, spouses, relatives, friends, everyone who has come today to be with you and support you, are not only proud, but overjoyed to be here with you, to attend this ceremony and to see you take the oath today and become your country’s soldiers - the Minister emphasized.
Stefanović noted that this is a country of field marshals such as Mišić, Petar Bojović, Radomir Putnik, a country of honourable, brave people, a country that keeps the memory of its ancestors and determines the future remembering everything they did for us.
- For Serbia to have a future, it must have strong armed forces. Sometimes they tell us that we don't need armed forces, that we don't need to invest in them, that we don't need so many soldiers, that we need one or two aircraft or tanks, but when you look at all the powerful countries in the world, they all invest in their armed forces every day, they get stronger. This shows us that serious and responsible people must think about it and thus guarantee future generations that they will live in peace - said the Minister.He underlined that only strong armed forces can be a guarantor of a strong and secure Serbia, and only strong armed forces can guarantee that this country will never be attacked.
- We do not train and arm our soldiers to steal something from someone, or to take from someone what is not theirs. We want to defend our country. And, as your oath says, to build peace and stability and preserve the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia. I am sure that by the time you complete your military service, you will have acquired new knowledge and skills that you will find useful later in life. Over the past period, we have managed to simplify the criteria and increase the salaries for those who want to apply for active duty service while performing voluntary military service. Average monthly pay for military volunteers is approximately 35,000 dinars. I hope that it will make your military days and your lives easier - the Minister of Defence pointed out.
According to him, in addition to purchasing new combat equipment, the priority is to invest in personnel.
- People have always been our top priority and we will take care of you just as your commanding officers have taken care of you so far. I congratulate you once again on saying these words that are much more than just words, this oath to Serbia, and I expect you to receive the necessary training for the duties that await you in the military, to always be ready and I hope Serbia will never need you in that role - emphasized Stefanović.
He also congratulated the participants in the Air Force and Air Defence NCO Course who are celebrating the Air Force and Air Defence Day today.- I would like to congratulate you on choosing this honourable and daring profession. And I hope that when you complete this course and become the youngest NCOs in the Serbian Armed Forces, you will perform your tasks honestly and honourably. I wish you a lot of success and happiness. Congratulations to families, parents and friends for having such sons and daughters who have made Serbia proud today. Long live the Serbian Armed Forces! Long live Serbia - said Minister Stefanović.
The Minister of Defence had the opportunity to talk to the young soldiers and their families who celebrated together after the oath ceremony. Stefanović congratulated the parents and young soldiers and invited them to join the armed forces as professional soldiers when they complete their voluntary military service.
The oath of enlistment ceremony was attended by Deputy Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, Lieutenant General Petar Cvetković, Commander of the Training Command, Brigadier General Željko Petrović, Commander of the 2nd Training Centre Colonel Saša Stojiljković, the Mayor of Valjevo Lazar Gojković and the Bishop Isihije of Valjevo.