02.06.2009.
Minister answers MP questions
At today’s session of the Serbian Parliament Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac answered numerous questions of MPs about the defense reforms and the development of the defense system, the training in SAF and its professionalizing, as well as the opportunities within PfP and the possibility for the participation of SAF members in peace operations abroad, the exporting of Serbian weapons and the international military cooperation of our country.
The Minister of Defense stressed that the defense system was a pillar of relations of our country with numerous other countries. “The system of defense represents a pillar of cooperation with USA, Norway, and a large number of countries purchasing weapons and the military equipment from our country. The defense system presents no obstacle for further continuation of European Integrations, that is, to join NATO, said Sutanovac stressing that the system of defense had been for the first time commended in the last year’s report.
Stressing that the members of SAF were to participate in Georgia in a PfP command HQ exercise, and not in NATO maneuvers, Sutanovac said that Serbia was a partner country and when it received an offer from Brussels to participate in the exercise we had no ide where it would take place.Minister pointed out that the participation of our officers and NCOs was something which was greatly appreciated abroad “The seriousness of an army is valued, among other things, through the participation of its members in peace missions abroad. The SAF members today are participating in three peace missions where they get to meet their colleagues from foreign armies as in these operations there also members of the armies of India, USA, Russian Federation, China.
When t comes to the participation of our country in PfPl, Minister stressed that more than 70 % of these activities pertained to the activities within the defense system. “Even though we have been in PfP since 2006, only last year did we really benefit from our participation. Still, there are some technical problems such as the opening of our office in Brussels and appointment of the ambassador yet we hope that they will soon be solved. There is a large number of PfP projects that are waiting for realization yet many of them are not related to the defense system, but rather pertain to the health care system, education and energy field”, said Sutanovac.
At today’s session Sutanovac stated that “Serbian defense industry is going through a revival by exporting Armaments and military equipment”.
As for the upcoming Chiefs of GS Third Balkan Conference, he emphasized that it was very important and was oriented towards establishing stronger ties in the region. Besides joint work on promoting training and education for the purpose of achieving higher level of interoperability, the conference will also contribute to strengthening joint security and stability in the region, where all sides will help each other in cases of technological or naturals disasters.
As for the issue of army professionalization, Sutanovac observed that 2010 is a deadline when, unless the global economic crisis deepens, this process will finally come to an end.
„We have a fully professional units and establishments such as is the example at the administrative border line towards Kosovo and Metohija. We are doing everything in our power to meet the set deadlines, yet this does not depend on us. Four persons applied for one opening for a professional SAF member so today we have 7000 applicants for 2500 openings. SAF’s reputation is on the rise so we have more than 90% of conscripts signing up to do their military service”, said Sutanovac adding that there have been moe than 1000 applicants and only 250 will be admitted , where the interest for the enrollment into the Military Grammar School is still high. Many foreign delegations speak highly of the quality of our military education especially at the Military Academy and the Military Medical Academy, which have recently received accreditation for Bologna declaration.
The reforms of the military healthcare have given remarkable results, “We have invested 10 million EUR into MMA, as it has become one of the most important health care educational institution not only for the military medical service. MMA is the third largest military clinic in the world with 40 million EUR of profit in 2008 where also foreign students are also educated
