09.08.2009.
CHOD's interview to TANJUG
ADOPT LAWS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
The chief of SAF GS LTG Miloje Miletic stated in his interview that all the legal documents pertaining to the defense system m should be finalized by the end of the year, thus pointing to the importance of adopting the set of military laws as soon as possible.The whole set of laws should be finalized by the end of the year in the National Assembly of Serbia, thus encircling the whole system of defense, as far as the draft acts are concerned.
The Serbian Chief of Defense estimated that by “adopting these laws, the whole defense regulations system will be finalized which will provide our defense system withy modern and up-to-date solutions”.
“We expect these laws to be adopted by the fall session of the Assembly…as that would significantly facilitate the whole process”, as he remarked.
Miletic also pointed to the importance of more frequent conducting military exercises, announcing the joint tactical exercise to be held early October on Pester plain.
It will be a joint combined arms exercise performed by parts of SAF Army, Air Force and the Police. This exercise will serve to prove that we are on the right track when it comes to transformation, as we are also preparing to carry out the international military medical exercise MADCEUR 09 where many members of foreign military medical services will take part, and to be performed in the Nis region.
According to his words, the exercise is being prepared and organized jointly with the EUCOM and PfP partner countries, as 250 home and foreign participants are expected from 14 countries, as Miletic said.
He also added that preparations for another very important exercise were under way, and this exercise will be performed in joint collaboration with the Romanian air force.
The CHOD of SAF considers that strengthening international military cooperation and that achieved level in this segment is excellent.
In his words, cooperation in the area of defense and security is necessary as it provides us with a way to share experiences and opinions in the organization of our armies and training as well as spreading friendship and contributing to peace.
Reminding that Serbia has adopted the stance of military neutrality, Miletic reiterated that the cooperation of SAF with NATO was good.
FAVORABLE LOANS FOR TO BUY APARTMENTS
The Chief of SAF GS LTG Miloje Miletic claims that more than 10.000 professionals soldiers did not have a home and that the only solution was providing favourable loans.We have currently 10 213 professional soldiers without a home of their own, with 2.567 of them living in inadequate condos, 3.980 of military pensioners are without a home or and 2600 live with their parents.
He also mentioned the problem of those senior military pensioners who cannot get a loan because of their age.
I am sure that this year is not a positive one for solving this problem and that it would not be solved this year, however, I think that we should change our position towards the problem.
You cannot expect a man to spend its working life in an army without solving the main issue, that of getting a home after 30 years of service and six to seven reassignments and relocations.
When we started with the transformation of the army, while also considering all our options it became clear to us that with the projected budget we would not be able to carry out everything we planned to.
This is why the idea of rationalization prevailed and to cut down the number of garrisons, to free a number of military facilities and military property.
Our plan is to take the solving of the housing issues on a completely new level, as it is not possible to solve the housing issues for al of them.
On one hand we are reducing maintenance, infrastructure, communal service and energy costs, with the idea being to change the purpose of these facilities, and by alienating some of them to return these funds to the defense system.
Alienation, that is, change, sale and renting the surplus of military property is not only a matter of the army, and the Ministry of Defense alone, but it is rather under the jurisdiction of the government, where other ministries are involved, said Miletic.
STABLE IN THE SOUTH OF SERBIASAF Defense Chief LTG Miloje Miletic claims that the security situation in the south of central Serbia along the administrative line with KiM is stable.
There are no indicators to suggest that the security in the south of Serbia was stable as Miletic told Tanjug.
He explained that any crisis, even the current economic crisis has a negative impact on the state of security thus encouraging the rise of crime rate, corruption, illegal trade, terrorism, national and religious extremism.
In his words, the events of last month in Lucani and Presevo, “that is, terrorist attacks on security forces in the region”.
All these events suggest that all these security forces should remain in this region, as SAF CHOD estimated.
During the interview he also pointed out the importance of finalizing “Cepotina” military base 5 km away from Bujanovac.
Given the current security risks and situation in the south of Serbia, we saw the necessity to build a military base which will provide optimal conditions for living, work and training.
The Serbian Armed Forces have received minister’s full support so last year we started with the intensification of works on the base.
