16.04.2009.
Interview of Minister Sutanovac to Novosti
The world economic crisis will have bad effects on the defense and security sector, says in an interview to Novosti, Dragan Sutanovac, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Serbia.
All crises increase risks and threats. I do not believe that there will be any more military threats. Every crisis also brings with itself the rise in crime rates! Just a few days ago we saw what that a 19-year old youth could shoot an officer on duty. This shows that we must react promptly and address these dangers seriously, every attack on the institutions of the state system, especially on the police force is a threat to security, and the armed forces too.
NOVOSTI: Will the functioning of the army be affected by this?
D.S. The armed forces are functioning the best way they can, however, we won’t be able to fulfill all the projections we have made, pertaining to procumbent of equipment and armaments and vehicles.NOVOSTI: How will the shortage of funds affect the development of the defense system?
D.S The system of defense demands large funds ion order to be operational with quality. Since the very start we insisted on causing the members of the armed forces, the police and other state organs to become a sort of a “social bomb” in our society.
NOVOSTI:Which projects will you not desist from?
D.S The project of the whole-scale and comprehensive reform of the defense system was done based on the Government’s memo, according to which 2.4 GDP should be allocated to the defense budget. We must not discontinue these projects we have been working on for several years now. These processes include the professionaliozing of the army and the finalization of “Cepotina” military base, we shall also continue with the construction of military flats, but in smaller scope.
NOVOSTI:What will you have to give up on?
D.S. We will have to cut costs of educating our officers abroad, as well as travel expenditures, and of certain activities within the army. We still hope that the crisis will not endanger the system of defense of Serbia.
NOVOSTI:How will the 26% reduction in the budget affect the defense system?
D.S. The system of defense is such that we cannot, as in other departments, give up one quarter of our tasks. It is absolutely impossible to give up 25 % of SAF members who are stationed in GSZ securing the south of Serbia.
NOVOSTI: Did you lower your ambitions regarding the equipping of the army/?
D.S. The situation will largely affect the equipping of SAF, since procuring state-of-the-art technology demand significant funds. However I must stress that equipping is the easiest part of the reform process, if you have the funds, as then you have no problem buying modern systems.
NOVOSTI:Will the crisis slow down the reform of the SAF?
D.S. We will try our best to finalize all our activities regarding legislative, the reform of the military education, and the reorganization within the MoD, the reform of military institutions and military agencies. I believe that we will finish the complete reform, and that we will be left with the easiest part of the problem-that of procuring equipment. This, however, depends on the economic situation in the country and not on us who are working on the reform.
NOVOSTI:What are the projected dynamics in achieving fully professional army?
D.S We hope to achieve as much as possible, while striving to accomplish our most difficult task.
NOT MUCH OF REDUNDANT PERSONNEL
NOVOSTI: Do you plan to lay off 10 % of employees which is one of the Government’s many measures?
D.S The number of MoD administrative staff is lower than the number of this staff in other ministries. I do not believe that we have the capacity to make these people redundant. We will certainly find some redundant posts while conducting reorganization of the Ministry, but these would have to be realistic.
SHARE THE BURDEN
NOVOSTI: How will the income tax reflect on your personal budget?
D.S. We all have to share the burden of the crisis, but I get the feeling that we do not all share this burden equally.
The world economic crisis will have bad effects on the defense and security sector, says in an interview to Novosti, Dragan Sutanovac, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Serbia.
All crises increase risks and threats. I do not believe that there will be any more military threats. Every crisis also brings with itself the rise in crime rates! Just a few days ago we saw what that a 19-year old youth could shoot an officer on duty. This shows that we must react promptly and address these dangers seriously, every attack on the institutions of the state system, especially on the police force is a threat to security, and the armed forces too.
NOVOSTI: Will the functioning of the army be affected by this?
D.S. The armed forces are functioning the best way they can, however, we won’t be able to fulfill all the projections we have made, pertaining to procumbent of equipment and armaments and vehicles.
NOVOSTI: How will the shortage of funds affect the development of the defense system?
D.S The system of defense demands large funds ion order to be operational with quality. Since the very start we insisted on causing the members of the armed forces, the police and other state organs to become a sort of a “social bomb” in our society.
NOVOSTI:Which projects will you not desist from?
D.S The project of the whole-scale and comprehensive reform of the defense system was done based on the Government’s memo, according to which 2.4 GDP should be allocated to the defense budget. We must not discontinue these projects we have been working on for several years now. These processes include the professionaliozing of the army and the finalization of “Cepotina” military base, we shall also continue with the construction of military flats, but in smaller scope.
NOVOSTI:What will you have to give up on?
D.S. We will have to cut costs of educating our officers abroad, as well as travel expenditures, and of certain activities within the army. We still hope that the crisis will not endanger the system of defense of Serbia.
NOVOSTI:How will the 26% reduction in the budget affect the defense system?
D.S. The system of defense is such that we cannot, as in other departments, give up one quarter of our tasks. It is absolutely impossible to give up 25 % of SAF members who are stationed in GSZ securing the south of Serbia.
NOVOSTI: Did you lower your ambitions regarding the equipping of the army/?
D.S. The situation will largely affect the equipping of SAF, since procuring state-of-the-art technology demand significant funds. However I must stress that equipping is the easiest part of the reform process, if you have the funds, as then you have no problem buying modern systems.
NOVOSTI:Will the crisis slow down the reform of the SAF?
D.S. We will try our best to finalize all our activities regarding legislative, the reform of the military education, and the reorganization within the MoD, the reform of military institutions and military agencies. I believe that we will finish the complete reform, and that we will be left with the easiest part of the problem-that of procuring equipment. This, however, depends on the economic situation in the country and not on us who are working on the reform.
NOVOSTI:What are the projected dynamics in achieving fully professional army?
D.S We hope to achieve as much as possible, while striving to accomplish our most difficult task.
NOT MUCH OF REDUNDANT PERSONNEL
NOVOSTI: Do you plan to lay off 10 % of employees which is one of the Government’s many measures?
D.S The number of MoD administrative staff is lower than the number of this staff in other ministries. I do not believe that we have the capacity to make these people redundant. We will certainly find some redundant posts while conducting reorganization of the Ministry, but these would have to be realistic.
SHARE THE BURDEN
NOVOSTI: How will the income tax reflect on your personal budget?
D.S. We all have to share the burden of the crisis, but I get the feeling that we do not all share this burden equally.
