02.06.2011.

Bridge on Resava near Svilajnac opened

Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac have visited today Bobovo village and the municipality of Svilajnac and on that occasion he opened to use the bridge on the Resava river.

During the visit, Minister Sutanovac met with the Mayor Gorica Dimcic-Tasic at the Assembly of the Svilajnac Municipality.

Congratulating on the successful completion of work on the construction of the bridge, to officers, NCOs and professional soldiers of the Serbian Armed Forces, as well as to the residents of Bobovo village, Minister Sutanovac emphasized that this bridge is vital for those who used to cross twenty kilometres a day to reach the other side of the Resava.

- There are no large and small activities, but all those that help people to live better, easier to work, and generate opportunities for himself and his family, are large – Minister Sutanovac said, adding that the Serbian Armed Forces has three primary missions – defence, participation in peacekeeping missions and assistance to the affected civilian population, which is currently the most important mission.

- While we are here today, on the bridge near Bobovo, our military is on the bridge in Brodarevo, helping in Kraljevo, Vladicin Han, and during the year we have helped and Trgoviste, Prijepolje and wherever our help was needed – Sutanovac said noting that during the reform, but also today, the Armed Forces still have had the highest popular support over the past twenty years, so it could be said that the Serbian Armed Forces is the people's military.

- This bridge to our Armed Forces is a symbolic act, a small donation, but I wish it to make your life easier and save time and money that you needed so far to move from one to the other side of the river – Defence Minister said, adding that the soldiers who participated in building the bridge were professionals who have served in the military and now they earn for living working for it. The Armed Forces in its reform is dealing with lives, provides jobs and all those who like the military and wish to join it are welcome, said Minister Sutanovac.

According to Mayor Dimcic-Tasic, the newly built bridge is a joint venture of the Serbian Armed Forces and the town of Svilajnac, which will be certainly connecting people, and strengthening ties among them.

Commander of the Third Army Brigade, Colonel Želimir Glišovic emphasized that based on the contract concluded between the municipality of Svilajnac as investor and Army Command the as the contractor, the Third Brigade was entrusted with the task to build the bridge in Bobovo village and to cede it free of charge for permanent use.

- The bridge is 24.38 meters long and 3.20 meters wide. Load capacity of the bridge is 18 tons in normal load, and it is able to withstand hazardous loads up to 28 tons. Construction work was done in seven days, from 23 to 29 May. The working group that performed works is from the composition of the 310th Engineering Battalion from Prokuplje. The assignment has been fully accomplished, and what is most important for us is that during the execution of works there have been no injuries.

Besides connecting the banks of the river, we wish this bridge to remind also of an unbreakable bond between the Armed Forces and the people – said Colonel Glišovic.

Bridge opening was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, local authorities, the Orthodox Church, and many residents.