02.11.2018.
Minister Vulin: MTI is heart of a freedom-loving army
- The Military Technical Institute is not just an ordinary institute or just an organisation that brings together top experts in designing arms and military equipment, you are something more. MTI is the heart of a large and freedom-loving army – Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin, the envoy of the President of the Republic of Serbia and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, pointed out at the ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Military Technical Institute.
On the occasion of the jubilee and celebration of 70 years of successful work, Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia, awarded the MTI with the Order of White Eagle of 2nd Class.
Congratulating on the holiday on behalf of the Supreme Commander and President of the Republic, Aleksandar Vučić, Minister Vulin emphasized that, with their work and creativity, when those scientifically curious try to step out, members of the MTI should know that their success is another guarantor for our country to be free and independent, able to decide on itself.- Every success by which you strengthen and make our Armed Forces secure is another step towards deciding on ourselves and about our future – Minister Vulin said, adding that the first and basic task of the Institute is to make our army technologically advanced, equipped and strong enough to be able to deal with those much richer than it is, the Armed Forces able to guarantee independence, sovereignty and freedom.
According to Minister Vulin, common word for everyone dealing with army is – love for freedom, and the evening ceremony is an opportunity to thank the members of the MTI for patience and perseverance, loyalty to Serbia, as well as the highest and most expensive word, which is freedom.
Looking back at the past seven decades, Minister Vulin pointed out that everything changed – from the country that founded MTI, the ideology for which it was created, the names of the armies changed, as well as tasks, technology, but it seems that only one thing has not changed to date – the level of expertise, quality and virtue of people working in MTI.
Colonel Bojan Pavković, Director of MTI, looking back at the most important moments during the past seven decades of the existence and operation of the Institute, pointed out that the MTI has built its identity exclusively with its results.
The results of 70 years of work of the MTI are shown in 1,300 pieces of weapons and military equipment, which were introduced into the operational use of the Armed Forces, mastered numerous new technologies, test methods and modern materials – Colonel Pavković said, adding that previous 15 years were very challenging for MTI.
But after the MTI, domestic brains and technology, as well as the defence industry, were recognised again as an important factor in raising the capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces, Colonel Pavković added, there emerged a need to change the work of that Institute - by increasing the number of developmental tasks, with demand for reduced development time, all for the purpose of more efficient equipping of the Serbian Armed Forces with new assets and more efficient modernisation of the existing ones.Colonel Pavković pointed out that a significant acceleration of development was achieved in 2018, and this success was achieved primarily thanks to the support of the state top officials and the Ministry of Defence.
At the ceremony this evening, the Institute awarded Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia, and Aleksandar Vulin, Minister of Defence, with Large Plaque of MTI, which Colonel Pavković handed over to Minister Vulin, the envoy of the president and supreme commander.
On the occasion of the jubilee, MTI Plaques were also awarded to Lieutenant General Milan Mojsilović, Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, and Nenad Miloradović, Assistant Minister of Defence for Material Resources.
The Military Technical Institute of the Yugoslav Army was established on 3rd November 1948 when, after the liberation of the country, one of the priorities was equipping, development and modernisation of the army relying on its own assets. The Military Technical Institute (MTI) is the largest military research institute in the Republic of Serbia.
