25.04.2009.

Children sail on Kozara battle ship

The Children authors of this year’s MoD campaign “Make a drawing-sail on a battle ship” visited the Riverine on Saturday and sailed on “Kozara” battle ship.

Boys and girls, first prize winners, from the elementary schools and kindergarten all over Serbia, were greeted by Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac and the Chief of SAF GS LTG Miloje Miletic.

“Just as we have managed to double the number of interested applicants in the enrollment in the Military Grammar Schools and the Academy, we have also managed to double the number of participants and young authors in MoD’s campaign “Make a drawing”, and the winners will today get a chance to sail on the “Kozara” battle ship on the Danube. I hope that some of them will grow to like the military profession, the way those who are in charge of the Riverine love it themselves, and I also hope that some these children will become a professional soldier,” said Minister Sutanovac, wishing the children a pleasant sail.

In his answer to the journalists’ question regarding the rebalance of this year’s budget, Minister said that MoD had proved to be as one of the most frugal and affordable ministries in the last year, and that the Minister of Finance Ljiljana Dragutinovic had already made it quite clear in her media statements.

- However, this year’s economic crisis has affected Serbia in such a way that this crisis could be seen as a natural disaster. This is why we will have to renounce some of the projects while having to forestall the realization of others. We let go more than 100 people last year, 700 the year before while this year we plan we have no redundant positions. We will do our utmost to make the reduce the number of employees only to the necessary number, but we cannot expect the ministry to make any great savings,” stressed Sutanovac, reminding that the military budget was 15%-20% less than the planned budget, and the realization of the projects will be decreased by this number.

During the sail on the Danube, the awarded boys and girls toured the “Kozara” battle ship and the SAF equipment, socialized with the members of the Riverine and with the actor with the “Bosko Buha” children’s theatre Branislav Platisa.
The Commander of the Riverine Navy Captain Nebojsa Joksimovic and the “Kozara” commander Frigate Lieutenant Darko Stricic wished the kids a pleasant stay in their unit and sail. First the children were introduced to the history of the ship they were sailing on, and then they toured Kozara, followed the work of the crew and the procedures during the alarm signal.

10-year old Norbert Bodnar, from Subotica school “10 October” said he was very pleased with the prize, as he had never sailed on the ship before, let alone a military ship. He was so looking forward to Saturday that he barely slpet the previous night. He also liked the jobs the sailors did on Kozara.

Five-year old Milica Adamovic from Kikinda, from “Bambi” kindergarten was also pleased with the reward for her drawing of a soldier disguised all in white. This was her first sail on the ship and she was very happy, because she could see the houses and building off the water.

The members of the Riverine, while treating the kids to sweets, also presented them the navy caps and T-shirts, cups, and SAF emblems. This field trip ended in a group photo shoot.

The “Make a drawing” campaign has been organized since 2007, and this year as the previous 13 best drawings comprised the MoD calendar.

The second prize was a visit to the SAF Special Brigade in Pancevo.