27.12.2025.
Cornerstone laying ceremony conducted to commemorate construction of new Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces General Staff building
Today, the President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, together with Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić and the Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, laid a cornerstone to commemorate the construction of the new Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff building at the Banjica Barracks in Belgrade. The ceremony marked the commencement of one of the most significant infrastructure projects within the defence system.
The cornerstone laying ceremony was attended by the members of the Defence Minister’s and the Chief of the General Staff’s collegiums.In his opening remarks, President Vučić referred to the long military history of Banjica, where the new Ministry of Defence and the General Staff building will be constructed, and underscored the importance of this infrastructure project.
- Magnificent new buildings for the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff of our armed forces will be constructed here. The net usable floor area will be 50,000 square metres, a huge space fully reflecting the importance of our armed forces. The project is scheduled to be completed within three years, by the end of 2028. The works will be carried out by the Military Construction Centre. I believe that the project will be delivered on time and that the result will be beautifully designed buildings and complexes, constructed in a secure environment. I will not elaborate on the technical details at this time. Our institutions will be relocated from the city centre, and I believe that many important decisions, taken in the interest of the Republic of Serbia and its citizens, will be made at this location – the President of Serbia said.
He stressed that significant funds have been allocated to this project because of its significance in multiple aspects “especially in a time of complete uncertainty and inability to foresee what lies ahead”. - As you may have noticed, up until our grand military parade we mainly remained silent about the capabilities of our armed forces. In the period ahead, and within a very short timeframe, we must increase the staffing levels in many of our units. For the first time, our three main special operations units have reached a high staffing level, but we will continue to increase the number of personnel, and overall staffing levels must exceed 95 percent – President Vučić said.
The President noted that one unit is staffed at 92 percent, another at 85 percent, and the third at 79 percent, well above the previous levels in our special forces - the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, the 63rd Parachute Brigade, and the Kobre MP Detachment.
- We have decided that the staffing levels in these units much reach over 95 percent and that they must increase the number of personnel, because we believe that the strength of certain special operations units can provide a decisive advantage in defending our country’s borders – said President Vučić, emphasizing that tank, artillery, and missile units will also be reinforced. He added that the largest investment will be directed toward establishing new units with a special role - operating the most advanced air defence systems, including drones and UAVs.
President Vučić said that considerable investments are being made in the armed forces, and noted that our military now has a large number of UAVs, including Kamikaze drones, and others.- We are buying and we will continue to buy. Soon, by the end of March, or in early April at the latest, I expect the first major drone factory to open in Serbia. I am proud to say it will produce highly sophisticated drones, not the Komarac 1, which we are satisfied with, nor the Komarac 2, but highly sophisticated drones that we will develop in partnership with one of the most powerful countries. Production will take place right here in Serbia – emphasized President Vučić.
He also expressed concern about the global situation, emphasizing that Serbia must remain committed to preserving peace.
- We can preserve peace only if our military and our defence system get even stronger and more capable. That is why we are acting swiftly, to ensure that our strength serves as a deterrent against anyone who might think they can conquer the Serbian people or break the Serbian state. This is why we will continue to heavily arm our military and develop our domestic defence industry – President Vučić said. He also announced that Serbia will soon be able to proudly boast its air defence system which, in terms of its layered structure, strength, and firepower, is matched by very few countries in Europe.
He said that investment in the military will continue and expressed his pride in the achievements of the Serbian Armed Forces, particularly in the fact that, for the first time, more recruits are joining than leaving. He added that this positive trend will continue, along with further increases in salaries and benefits.
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