26.03.2020.
Minister Vulin: I urge citizens to follow experts’ advice
- The scope of work done by the Serbian Armed Forces is very wide, but I am infinitely proud that every morning, when the Supreme Commander AleksandarVučić calls me and asks me for a report on the situation in the Serbian Armed Forces and whether we have fulfilled all the tasks, I can say every time - all the tasks are fulfilled, no one refused to do their task, everyone is doing what needs to be done and everyone is doing it with great motivation - pointed out the Minister of Defence AleksandarVulin as a guest in Radio Television of Serbia’s Morning News Programme, answering the question about the engagement of the Serbian Armed Forces during a state of emergency .
According to him, although the Serbian Armed Forces are engaged in a large number of tasks, Serbian citizens need to know and understand that this is their job as well. With this in mind, Minister Vulin urged the citizens to show solidarity, to follow the instructions given by the Crisis Staff and the advice of experts.
- If we do not take care of ourselves, if we do not demonstrate solidarity, if we break all the rules and norms without thinking about our health and the health of our loved ones, then not even three million soldiers is enough. So, it all depends on the citizens of Serbia. We are here to carry out all the tasks we have received from the Supreme Commander - Minister Vulin pointed out.
The Minister of Defence pointed out that he received an order from the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces AleksandarVučić last night in a telephone call, to reinforce measures in order to improve the situation in Valjevo, adding that the Serbian Armed Forces started doing so last night.
Asked to comment on the preparation of the Belgrade Fair as an isolation facility, Minister Vulin pointed out that the facility is still being adapted for this purpose, it is being equipped with bedside lockers for storing things and hospital curtains, the space intended for a TV room is being designed, adding that many companies called offering to help by donating their products.
- It is going to be a very decent space, but we have to understand – it is not a hotel. Neither of our isolation facilities is a hotel and cannot be a hotel. There are very strict rules that we have to adhere to and we will do everything in our power to make it decent - Minister Vulin emphasized, adding that the Serbian Armed Forces partly assist in the provision of health care, but primarily in the provision and organization of life in facilities like these.
Commenting on the incident in Kragujevac, when members of the Serbian Armed Forces reacted and overpowered a person who tried to break self-isolation, Minister Vulin urged that such cases should be adequately sanctioned and that in this situation we should not endanger those who are there to help us.
Minister Vulin said that, at the moment, isolation facilities are located in Morović, Subotica, Letenci on Fruška Gora, and that there is a possibility of accommodating people in the Military Grammar School. He thanked the owner of the “Slodes” Hotel for putting his accommodation at the disposal of the country and accommodating some of the passengers who returned from Paris a few days ago in this hotel.
Asked about the impressions of the Chinese medical team who came to Serbia to provide assistance, Minister Vulin said that the Chinese doctors were satisfied with our way of work and the speed with which Serbia faced the problem, and especially with the preparations for accommodating people at the Fair. The Chinese doctors have given us invaluable advice which is now being applied, Minister Vulin said.
The Minister of Defence reminds that, in addition to securing isolation facilities and all major medical facilities, as well as migrant reception centres, the Serbian Armed Forces also assists the Ministry of Internal Affairs in securing border crossings, both the ones that are currently operational and those that are not.
