23.02.2024.

Minister Vučević attends ceremony marking 85th anniversary of “Krušik” in Valjevo

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Miloš Vučević attended today a ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the holding corporation "Krušik" in Valjevo.

To mark the occasion, Minister Vučević was presented with the Krušik Plaque for successful cooperation and the full support provided. Jovanka Andrić, the corporation’s acting director, presented the plaque to the minister of defence.

A plaque for successful cooperation was presented to the Head of Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Žarko Mićin, and plaques for long-term successful cooperation were awarded to Assistant Minister of Defence for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović, PhD, which was received on his behalf by Brigadier General Slavko Rakić - Head of the Defence Technologies Department, Material Resources Sector, as well as to the Military Technical Institute, the Technical Test Centre, the Forging Centre and the factories "Milan Blagojević - namenska" Lučani and "Prva iskra namenska a.d." Barič.

Minister Vučević congratulated all employees, as well as former employees, on the company’s 85th anniversary.

- Over the past 85 years, we as a country, society, and a nation, have experienced all kinds of things. Social systems and types of government have changed, state territory has changed, there was war, suffering, but "Krušik" has managed to survive, thanks primarily to the people who have and will work in this company in the future, and of course, thanks to our country, which has always been its firm and strong support - said Minister Vučević.

According to him, over the past 85 years "Krušik" has become an inseparable part of the city of Valjevo, a city with a rich history and tradition and one of the engines of economic development and strength of this proud and brave city of good, hardworking people.

Touching upon the historical circumstances in which the factory has operated for eight and a half decades, Minister Vučević emphasized the need to focus on what awaits "Krušik" in the future.

- Same as our country, “Krušik” has been through difficult and less difficult periods. The eighties were the "golden years", you were developing, the city of Valjevo was developing, as well as its surrounding neighbourhoods. This was followed by several difficult years, and then more difficult years came - in 1999 you were bombed and physically destroyed, and then they continued to destroy you through attempts to either privatize or seize or close the factory. Or through a combination of all the above. What was even harder than the bombs dropped by the aggressors, were the attacks that came from within – fabrication of affairs, attempts to destroy their own company, their own country, in order to give someone else an advantage. Maybe some people did it unknowingly, but they were really destroying something that is ours and needs to be preserved. I believe that those times are behind us and that we will never again find ourselves in such situations - emphasized the minister of defence.

According to him, the factory must take advantage of this better moment in order to make progress in the future. He stressed that the heart of every company were its people.

- This is the time when you should accumulate strength, capital, knowledge and experience for the period to come. You have to be prepared for better and worse times. First of all, you have to focus your attention on your personnel. Machines, equipment, and facilities are very important, but people are the heart of the company. Without people there is no factory, without people there is no work, without people there are no results - said Minister Vučević.

He told the employees of "Krušik" that they must love and protect their company, as if it were their home.

- The state has decided to preserve the company, too. To make it state-owned, and not to allow its privatisation. It has decided to assure the people who work here that the state is their boss and will protect them, but this relationship requires emotion and support from both sides – said the minister of defence.

Minister Vučević talked about what "Krušik" must do in the coming period in order to keep up with the times and commended the fact that new collective agreements had been reached with the unions.

- To the delight of all of you and the city of Valjevo, salaries in "Krušik" will soon be higher by six to 21 thousand per month. Thus, the average salary in "Krušik" will be higher than the average salary in the city of Valjevo, which will support the overall economy of Valjevo - stressed Minister Vučević.

The Serbian Armed Forces must take priority over commercial gain, emphasized the minister of defence.

- First, the Serbian Armed Forces and the delivery of what the Ministry of Defence has ordered to be produced for the Serbian Armed Forces, i.e. what the Serbian Armed Forces have defined as their priorities. Let us fill our warehouses first, so that the Serbian Armed Forces have enough weapon loads and everything else that "Krušik" and other factories of the defence industry produce, and only then can we go to the market - Minister Vučević said, indicating what needs to be improved in the business domain in the following period.

According to him, the state will continue to provide its support to the factory in the coming period, so that "Krušik" can achieve even better results.

- And I believe that in the coming period we will be even more concrete, even more successful, that your and our products will be even more competitive, that we will protect our country even better, that our armed forces will be even better equipped and armed, and our citizens safer. Invest in your staff, provide them with the best working conditions possible. Let there be an open socio-economic dialogue. Protect your factory. It's your home. It is Valjevo's home, but it is also the home of the whole of Serbia - Minister Vučević said.

The minister of defence wished the employees of “Krušik” lots of success in the coming period, and told them to love and protect Serbia.

When a company lasts for so long, it means that it has survived various challenges and that a lot of effort and struggle has been put into its preservation in difficult times, acting director Jovanka Andrić said.

- That is why today we are bringing back the memories of Krušik’s beginnings, to remember some past days and to lay the foundations for a better future. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, Minister of Defence Miloš Vučević, Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović and other representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces and government institutions for their wholehearted assistance, support and understanding during the past period, which was not at all easy. It took a lot of work, struggle, determination and perseverance to get back on our feet and move steadily forward. Ahead of us are important tasks and a responsibility towards reaching the set goals, one of which is realization. We can proudly say that for the first time over the past two months of 2024, we have realized more than 27 million euros - said Andrić, highlighting that "Krušik" was more than a factory – it was an ideology, a legend, a role model, a builder, a support, an army.

To mark the 85th anniversary of "Krušik", a film was shown about the company's work results. After the ceremony, Minister Vučević visited the factory facilities – cold rotary forging press and the new primer manufacturing facility.