04.02.2011.
Interview of Igor Jovicic, State Secretary, to Danas Daily
CHAPLAINS WITH OFFICER RANKS ALSO TO BE INTRODUCED SOON
Regulation to regulate the introduction of religious service in the Serbian Armed Forces and the defence system should be presented for adoption in the Government by the end of February, and it is expected that the whole project be implemented and the first chaplains with the officer rank determined by the middle of the year – Igor Jovicic, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence pointed out in Danas
According to him, after the adoption of this regulation, the agreements will be concluded with every traditional church and religious community registered in the Ministry of Religions. These are the Serbian Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic, Islamic Community, Jewish community, Christian Reformed, Slovak Evangelical and Evangelical Christian Church.Jovicic explains that currently there is an anonymous survey being conducted among the members of the Armed Forces and the defence system to determine how many members belong to which religion. He added that the data is expected very soon, and according to the previous estimates, the Ministry of Defence is likely to employ about 30 Serbian Orthodox Christian chaplains, two Catholic chaplains and one military imam.
- The chaplains will have their insignia on the lapel as a sign of religious service. Officers belonging to the SOC chaplains' service will have a cross with trefoil, Catholics will have Latin cross, the Jews will have the Star of David, Muslims, i.e. military imam will have crescent, while the members Evangelical and Reformed churches will have a cross in the rose – Jovicic said.
He states that if there are 100 to 500 members of one religious community within the Armed Forces and the defence system, one chaplain will be employed. Two chaplains come on 500 to 1,000 members, and then there will be one officer of the religious services on every next thousand members of the Armed Forces. Chaplains will be assigned to General Staff, at the operational level commands, commands of brigades and independent battalions, as well as in commands, institutions and units of military health service and education. They will have their own assistants who will have the NCO rank.
- In terms of liabilities, it is envisaged that the defence system provide immovable and movable general purpose assets for functioning of chaplains and the religious communities are to provide the things necessary for worship, liturgy and other rituals – said Jovicic.
The members of religious services will not carry arms nor shoot. Also, the secrecy of confession of the members of the defence system will be strictly obeyed. Chaplains will have special rights regarding addressing in relation to the others, i.e. they will be called according to the rank they have in their traditional church, "with their military rank added in written communication." On their war uniforms they will wear mark of their church, and specialty insignia, what other officers do not have on the same uniforms.
According to Jovicic, the religious service is being introduced as a sum of functions, as there are legal or financial services in the Ministry of Defence, and therefore the conditions for employment and wages will be the same as for other officers. The religious service officer, as he explained, will also have an advisory role, he will also have consultations with psychologists, but also a certain relation with the families.
- The task is not only for them to deal with religious service, but also to care of the collective, i.e. the members of their confession, in a way that complements the mental stability at performing difficult and complex tasks. Religious service is intended primarily for exercising the rights to religion and confession, strengthening the moral and spiritual values, shaping civic awareness, strengthening mental stability – Jovicic said.
He added that the chaplain will report in the religious sense to a church dignitary designated by the religious community. All traditional churches and religious communities will also be represented, but for now it is known that for the SOC it will be Vicar Bishop of Jegar Porfirije.
CHAPLAINS ALSO IN PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS
Igor Jovicic said that the officers in the religious services will participate in multinational operations, and peacekeeping missions. He explains that it is envisaged that a chaplain is engaged in operations involving formations of platoon level or higher.
