30.11.2010.
NATO /PfP Trust Fund's Project for helping redundant military personnel
In the House of Guards a presentation on the Effects of the NATO/PfP Trust Fund to help the redundant military personnel was given today.The presentation was attended by State Secretary Zoran Jeftic, PhD DA of the Kingdom of Norway to Serbia Colonel Esben Asa, Mr, Gianluca Rocco, Manager of the NTF Project and deputy chief of the IOM mission, including MoD, SAF delegations and military representatives accredited to Serbia.
The purpose of the presentation is to present the influence and effects of the NATO Trust Fund Project to all the stakeholders, donors and representatives of other countries.The project is a result of successful cooperation of the MoD, donor NATO member states and PfP signatories as well as of the International Migration Organization.
- I would like to express my gratitude to all donor countries headed by the Kingdom of Norway and the general support given in the previous five years when it comes to this project, as Jeftic said stressing its significance in the reforms of the defense system as well as its economic and social dimension in supporting the reintegration of former military professionals into civilian sector and retraining either redundant or retired members of the military.
Recalling the effectiveness and the results of the project, Jeftic stressed that the whole PRISMA resettlement program had more than 68% users with over 8 million EUR having been invested into it, with 70% of the funds being directed towards users of the project. PRISMA has on several occasions been acclaimed as the most successful projects in the region which is the result of joint efforts, resulting in a high percentage of military men being reintegrated into the civilian life.Following Jeftic’s introductory speech, DA of Norway Colonel Esben Aasa and the manager of the project Gianluca Rocco presented the results achieved so far in the realization of the Project.
The project is funded from 18 states, led by the Kingdom of Norway which has so far provided free assistance to employing and expanding the business for start-up companies of former military men, as well as for financing specialist courses and the assistance in terms of subsidies with a known employer for 4170 persons.Within this project 3273 new micro companies and small enterprises were established, while known employers have offered jobs to 429 former members of the military. Given the results achieved the donor countries agreed to support the Project by the end of June 2011.
