17.12.2024.
Minister of Defence and Chief of General Staff host New Year and Christmas reception
Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić and Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff Gen. Milan Mojsilović hosted the New Year and Christmas reception at the Guard Club in Topčider, tonight.
The reception was attended by Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, government ministers, MPs, members of the collegiums of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff, representatives of the local self-government, government institutions, religious communities, diplomatic and military diplomatic corps, veterans, and numerous public figures.In his address, Minister Gašić first greeted numerous guests on behalf of the President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, and emphasized that “the citizens have enormous trust in the Serbian Armed Forces”. Such reputation, he added, has been built over a long period of time, patiently, as a result of decades-long work and commitment, courage and respect for all members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces.
- It reflects the continuity of professional commitment and true patriotism. In an effort to maintain continuity, we have worked hard this year, striving to make our country’s defence system stronger and more capable of fulfilling its constitutional and legal roles. We have equipped the Serbian Armed Forces with state-of-the-art arms and military equipment, we have invested in infrastructure and the living standard of our personnel, we have improved the quality of training and the execution of missions and tasks – said the Minister of Defence.He said that “such success would not be possible without the wholehearted support of the President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, our government headed by Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and my fellow ministers”.
- The attitude towards defence matters as an essential prerequisite for stability, social and economic progress, is an example of excellent cooperation between all branches of the government. The support and understanding of state leaders will continue to be crucial for a successful continuation of the processes that have been started in the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. We rely on that support and are determined to make every goal in building our capabilities a starting point for reaching higher goals and stricter criteria - said Minister Gašić.The Minister of Defence said he was confident that the National Assembly would support the initiative to reinstate compulsory military service, which the president and the government had fully supported. This would open a completely new chapter in the development of our country’s defence capabilities in accordance with the assessments of current and future security threats.
- The introduction of compulsory military service will be the principal task of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces next year. It is a process that requires not only financial resources, organizational adjustments and infrastructure projects at the defence system level, but also the establishment of a new social mechanism unknown to young generations. Our mission will be to present the Serbian Armed Forces to future recruits as they really are, to remove all prejudices and fears, to make each of them view their personal contribution to the defence of the country as an act of true patriotism, civic responsibility and a chance to become part of the centuries-old tradition that shaped the character of the Serbian people. To do this, we will need the support of all state-building forces in our society – said Minister Gašić.According to Minister Gašić, the motive and inspiration for everything that has been done over the past year, and for what is yet to be done, lies in the strong connection between tradition and the future, which holds the core of our identity awareness and the need to protect the country we love at any cost.
- Therefore, our goal is clear - a peaceful, safe and stable Serbia, with strong armed forces and people who believe in them. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the President and the Government of the Republic of Serbia for their strong and continuous support for the development of the defence system, which has contributed to every success we have achieved over the past year - emphasized Minister Gašić, wishing everyone good health and happiness in the new year, and wishing Serbia a safe and prosperous year.At the reception, the guests had the opportunity to watch a film presenting the most significant results achieved by the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces in 2024, produced by the Public Relations Department, Ministry of Defence. The reception also included the performances of the MOD’s Art Ensemble "Stanislav Binički", Folk Dance Ensemble “14. oktobar” from Kruševac and the trumpet virtuoso Danijela Veselinović.
