13.06.2009.
LTG Miletic on the reforms
The Chief of SAF GS LTG Miloje Miletic assessed that the reforms had resulted in raising the repute of the army and our country in the world.
"What the army has done on transformation in the last few years has had positive effects on our position, changing the perception of SAF in terms of the neighbouring countries and other European countries”, said LTG Miletic in his statement to TANJUG news agency.
The Chief of GS stressed that “SAF is now regarded with respect”.
”We believe that we have greatly contributed to the establishing of good repute of our army and Serbia in the world”, he added.Miletic stressed that SAF “is a great exporter of peaceful policy led by Serbia in its attempts to integrate into the EU”.
He also said that the process of “transformation of our army, which started in 2006, has progressed with the planned dynamics and so far we have not had any so far we have not experienced any digressions.
"The focus in the previous period was on organizational-mobilization changes, that is, on establishing new army organization…We managed to finish this process within the set deadline”, as General Miletic pointed out.
Transformation of other fields was a parallel process, especially in the strategic-doctrinaire and normative-legal fields as well as in the process of the training.
“To date, the most important results have been achieved in establishing the new army organization, training transformation adapted to the most modern armies in the world”.
The process of professionalization of the army is expected to be finished by early 2011.
Despite the economic crisis and budgetary cuts this process is going as planned, said the Chief of SAF GS.
Recalling the economic crisis, he observed that this would not have more series effects on this process, mentioning that the transformation process should be finished by late 2010, or early 2011.
LTG Miletic also supported urgent adoption of the drafts of important strategic documents in the parliament adopted by the Government such as-The Strategic Defense Review, National Security Strategy and the Strategy of Defense.
"The adoption of these documents is significant as these documents maker the basis for the planning and deployment of our forces.
Taking this opportunity, Miletic also emphasized the importance of joint activities and exercises with foreign armies, adding that “conducting joint exercises is one of those activities we launched two years ago and which we have intensifies, especially with the armies of Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary”, while stressing the significance of joint training of SAF units, especially special forces of Austria, Greece, Turkey.
"We are also exchanging smaller teams in training and are improving our men in cooperation with other countries in the world”, as General Miletic stated.
