27.06.2013.
Intensifying military cooperation with the Czech Republic
Assistant Minister for Defence Miroslav Jovanovic received the delegation of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. In the delegation were Chief f the Cabinet of the Czech Ministry of Defence Frantisek Slulz, former defense attaché of the Czech Republic in Serbia Colonel Lorant Kürtösi newly appointed Defence Attache of the Czech Republic in Serbia Colonel Joseph Wojtek and Paul Filipek from the Department of Veterans Affairs of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic.In a friendly and open discussion, it was agreed that bilateral relations have traditionally been good, accompanied by intensive political and economic dialogue with the approval of many issues of mutual interest. Assistant Minister expressed his gratitude to the Czech Republic for support the membership of the Republic of Serbia to the EU.
Defense cooperation has been developed and conducted in the field of military education, logistics, RCBD and standardization, with excellent military cooperation and meetings at the highest level being established. They underlined the good cooperation between NATO RCBD centers for excellence in Viskov and the RCBD training center from Krusevac, as well as the cooperation of the University of Defence in Belgrade and Brno.
Jovanovic mentioned key foreign policy positions of Serbia and added that Serbia is making every effort to meet all the necessary conditions to join the European Union, without threatening national and state interests. He praised the readiness of the Czech Republic to support Serbia on its path towards the European Union and thanked the Czech Embassy in Belgrade – as the contact point Embassy for cooperation with NATO for its assistance and support to the work of the DRG, and for financing system reforms as well. Furthermore he thanked for financing various activities of the Partnership for Peace/Trust Funds. Both sides pointed out that in the upcoming period modalities to improve military economic cooperation should be found.Assistant Minister pointed out that the Czech experience in terms of security and defense aspects of joining the EU will be beneficial to Serbia, particularly in the area of the common security and defense policy, participation in the EU battle groups, together with the European Defence Agency as well as the experience of participation in multinational operations and defence budget planning.
Frantisek emphasized that a proof of good relations between the two peoples and armed forces is the donation made by the Czech Republic pointed out, the bell bestowed upon the monastery of St. George in Celije near Lajkovac, where they both Serbian and Austro-Hungarian troops after the Battle of Kolubara in 1914 were buried.He expressed the readiness of the Czech side to intensify bilateral military cooperation and the exchange of experiences of military veterans.
Significant activity of bilateral military cooperation during this year is the participation of the Serbian Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in the exercise CAPABLE LOGISTICIAN 2013, which was held in Slovakia from 8 to 23 June, with the support of the logistics coordination center in Prague.
