01.08.2019.
New Issue of “ODBRANA”
While preparing the August issue of “Odbrana” for the print, we decided to accompany the coverage of the visit from President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron to Serbia given in the segment stopping point with the text about French-Serbian military relations bound by 180 years long tradition. A specific code to understand all that is contained in the words of French academician Jean Dutourd, one of those intellectuals who “by their own selves” won the right to loudly say what they think.
“My ideas are not political in nature but ethical. That is precisely what has oriented me towards the Serbs; that made me show sympathy for them. I have always considered the Serbs as the people who I feel extremely close to, as the brothers in arms. They meant the same for my father as well, who had imbedded that idea into my mind. Since the moment when everybody started persecuting the Serbs, like they are persecuted even today, I thought that the Serbs were most probably right. Even if I were not convinced that they are right, the very fact that everybody is against them simply assures me that the law is on their side. I know that the Serbs are insubmissive, though the others often tried to conquer them, and some even succeeded, but the Serbs have always freed themselves owing to their energy, strength and patriotism, and especially because of their perseverance. The Serbs possess incredible strength in their desire to persevere in their own being, and they simply do not wish to be anything else but – the Serbs, and they are right to want that and that is why they deserve respect.
I will tell you a very old story about Saint Saint Louis de Gonzague from the time when he was a young seminarian. While he was absorbed in some ball game, his friends asked him what he would have done if he had known that the end of the world would ensue in several minutes. He responded that he would simply continue playing the game. If the Serbs were told that there would be no Serbia the next day, I suppose that they would defend it as much as they can and die together with it”.In his interview for “Odbrana” Peter Handke says: “Several months ago, I read a book by Aleksandar Tišma, though in French translation, of the title which I perceived to be “The ones we loved”. It is a very powerful book. One should read it. I read Balzac a lot, and for me Honoré de Balzac is darker than Kafka. He does not give hope to humanity, which was in a way some kind of reality of the 19th century. That humiliation of humanity was continued in the 20th century…The wars which took millions of young men lives…Of course, we have to move on. The life is some sort of illusion. Seemingly visible borders between the peoples are almost inexistent today, but internal borders and hostilities among the peoples are much worse today than immediately after the Second World War. I am particularly sensitive to that. We do not understand each other, there are too rigid boundaries that divide the peoples,”
In the column “System” we bring you texts about the exercise of special forces of the Serbian Armed Forces and Hellenic Armed Forces, Senior Sergeant First Class Goran Ilić, from the 27th Mechanised Battalion of the Second Army Brigade who composedly extinguished a fire, about preparation of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces for the International Military Games, about Military Museum…
“Owing to the support of the system, we have achieved a lot in modernising boat systems, tactics of use and improvement of fire power of artillery boats. And yet, we still have a lot of work to do, the most important task being the constant care for personnel, who are the most important resource and strength of the unit” – says in his interview for “Odbrana” Navy Captain Andrija Andrić, Commander of the River Flotilla, which on 6th August marks the Day of river units branch and River Flotilla Day, which is a holiday dedicated to cherishing naval and pontoon traditions in the Serbian Armed Forces.
This year as well “Partner” demonstrated the vitality of Serbian defence industry which succeeds in following the world trends. This was shown by presented exhibits in the areas of guided ammunition, modern artillery systems, fighting vehicles, command-information systems, robotics, jammers, and drones. “Partner 2019” was a success in terms of the number of exhibitors – 128 in total, 96 national and 32 from abroad, and in terms of the number of official high military delegations – 29 of them from 19 countries. Some 12,000 visitors, being the highest number so far, speaks about great interest of the public for which in the section called “Special addition” we have prepared an overview of the most interesting assets of arms and military equipment presented at the “Partner”.
A book has been published in Sweden recently titled “A Judge in the Land of Lawlessness” (Domare i laglösa länder) by a former UNMIK judge in Kosovo and Metohija, Crister Karphammar, in which the author exposes his experiences from the Balkans. The book is soon to be published in the Serbian language by the Media Centre “Odbrana” and the August issue of “Odbrana” exclusively brings several fragments selected and translated from the Swedish language by writer Milosav Popadić.
We have visited the Guard of the United Kingdom, as well as the set of the fifth season of the series “The Military Academy”.
Odbrana 326, August 2019.
2 | CONTENT
3 | INTRODUCTION
ON THE VIRTUE USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE SERBS
IN FOCUS
4 | RETURN OF FRENCH MILITARY INDUSTRY TO SERBIA
6 | International activity of the Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces
CONTRIBUTION TO PEACE
7 | FIRST BRDM-2MS HAVE ARRIVED
STOPPING POINT
8 | Military cooperation between France and Serbia
FROM MONDEN TO MISTRAL
CONVERSATION ON A SUBJECT
15 | Peter Handke
THE LIVES THAT NEVER HAPPENED
SYSTEM
18 | Exercises of special forces of the Serbian Armed Forces and Hellenic Armed Force
LANDING ABOVE ŠUMATOVAČKO POLJE
23 | Goran Ilić
ARTILLERY MAN WHO CONQUERED FIRE
24 | Members of the Serbian Armed Forces ready for International Military Games
IN THE COMPANY OF THE BEST
26 | Approaching 22nd August, Military Museum Day
A TEMPLE OF IDENTITY
30 | Commander of River Flotilla, Navy Captain Andrija Andrić
WE HAVE TO SAIL
35 | SPECIAL ADDITION - 202
OVERVIEW OF THE PARTNER 2019
GLOBAL
48 | A COUNTRY OF LAWLESSNESS
52 | Visiting the Guard of the United Kingdom
THE BEST OF THE BEST
CULTURE
58 | On the set of the fifth season of “The Military Academy“
STILL “CHASING“ OUR DREAM
ADVICE FROM THE MMA
64 | THE RULES OF GOOD NUTRITION
SPORTS
67 | Military basketball club “Marinos”
A POINT FOR SERBIAN MILITARY
HISTORY
69 | ŽIVOJIN MIŠIĆ SERBIAN FIELD MARSHAL
ANNOUNCEMENTS
70 | Competitions, information
