30.10.2010.
Minister speaks at the Seminar of the Political Science Students
Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac spoke at the seminar of the Faculty of Political Science at Kopaonik
Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac spoke today at a ceremony marking the end of the Fourth Seminar of the Students of the Political Science at Kopaonik, the theme being "Serbia and the NATO", organized by the Center for Social Dialogue and Regional Initiative.
This four-day meeting brought together more than 450 political science students from the region, as well as experts, politicians, professors and representatives of the defense system.
During the debate Sutanovac presented the most important results of the Ministry of Defence in the previous period, stressing the increasing interest in system of military education, lively international activity and successful process of professionalization.In order to maintain a common regional security and stability, according to the Minister Sutanovac, representatives of the defense system of all countries in the region have managed to establish an open and frank dialogue. He stressed the importance of integration processes in the context of preventing organized crime and asymmetric threats our region is exposed to. A significant segment of the future Army will be engaging in multinational operations, which, he says, used to Serbia in defending its national interests.
- I think it is extremely important that young people from Belgrade together with their colleagues from Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina participate in this meeting thus representing the new spirit this region is missing- said the Minister on that occasion. He added that the times of conflict had long gone and this is an opportunity to promote the true values that strengthen confidence and stability.
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We need to talk to young people about NATO and the European Union system, not only in terms of NATO, but what standards mean in real life and whether we in Serbia want to feel like a member of the NATO or the European Union - Sutanovac said, adding that we can not go forward if we do not standardize our society according to the best standards in the world and in defense systems these are the NATO standards.Serbia does not need to become a NATO member to be a part of the EU, said Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac.
- The fact is that all countries that have recently joined the European Union were members of the NATO first. However, it is not necessary to be a member of the Alliance, because there are several countries that are not its members, and have been EU members for a long time - said the minister.
During the discussion, students and guests were able to pose questions to the Minister Sutanovac, and other speakers.At the closing session of the seminar "for and against NATO," the speakers were Dr. Predrag Simic and Dr. Tanja Miscevic, professors of the Faculty of Political Sciences of Belgrade, together with MP Milos Aligrudic and the military analyst Miroslav Lazanski and Aleksandar Mitic.
The seminar of the students of the Faculty of Political Science, which is already a traditional event, is also regarded as exchange of regional experience, and promotion of social dialogue as one of the most important factors for democratic consolidation and the public decision making process. The Belgrade Center for Security Policy has helped organize this year’s event, with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the U.S. Embassy.
