16.06.2011.

Minister Sutanovac and General Miletic open the bridge at Mazarac village near Vladicin Han

Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac and Chief of General Staff General Miloje Miletic have visited the municipality of Vladicin Han and re-open the bridge on the South Morava River in the village Mazarac.

Continuation of the visit was marked by a meeting of Minister Sutanovac and General Miletic with the mayor of Vladicin Han Nenad Mitrovic, as well as with the representatives of local government and the municipality of Vladicin Han.

Congratulating the Army of Serbia, which was the contractor, as well as the villagers of Mazarac on getting a new bridge, Sutanovac said that most certainly improve the daily lives of residents of that area.

- Today's event illustrates the connection between the Serbian Army and the citizens of our country, as it especially represents an effort to offer assistance to municipalities that are underdeveloped where necessary - said Sutanovac reminding the present that our military has three defined missions, and this task is within the third mission, that of civil military cooperation.

He said that over the past few years, the Mod and SAF had reconstructed and built roads not only in Novi Pazar, Sjenica, Prokuplje, but also here in Vladicin Han, while bridges were built in Svilajnac and Despotovac.As we speak the army is helping, Kraljevo, Trgoviste, Aleksinac and Novi Pazar.

- The Serbian Armed Forces, thus justifying the high degree of confidence felt by the citizens, which is perhaps at the highest level in this part of our country. The Army has also been the largest employer in the previous year, while the southern part of Serbia has seen the largest number of applicants to voluntarily serve in the army, and generally there is a great interest to join the military - said the Minister of Defence.

He added that a professional soldier today does not only serve his people and country, but also gets the money to support his family by joining the ranks, which is an imperative at this time.

- The Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia have in the past days of Serbia merged with the world, and today we have bridged Vladicin Han with Vranje, and tomorrow we will do with some other shores, as the only way to guarantee the future of southern Serbia and our military - said Sutanovac, adding that although a brand new bridge might not be a great thing for humanity, its importance lies in the benefits for those people who will facilitate daily life.

The commander of the Fourth Army Brigade, Brigadier General Milisav Simovic said that the municipality of Vladicin Han has recently launched an initiative to solve the problem of crossing the South Morava River to villagers of Mazarac, Vranje , Priboj and Kordovec in permanently solving this problems that has been troubling the locals for decades..

- Based on the contracts the investor is Vladicin Han municipality, and the contractor is the Land Forces Command. The Fourth Brigade was entrusted with the task of building a bridge that will give residents the permanent use at no charge – as General Simovic said, adding that the bridge was hundred feet long, 3.6 meters wide and 10 tons of payload, built by members of mixed groups of 410th Engineering Battalion Fourth Army Brigade during the week of 24 to 31 May, who were happy to hand over the bridge today.

Addressing the gathering, the Mayor of Vladicin Han Nenad Mitrovic, said that he was honored to attend the historic moment of opening the bridge which the locals had been waiting for 36 years.

- Way back in the 1975 the bridge was destroyed. With great effort the Fourth Army Brigade, General Simovic and the support by Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac, today we stand on the bridge that connects the banks where the municipality of Vladicin Han is situated and the city of Vranje, on the bridge that connects the people, who will succeed us.

Bridge opening was also attended by Commander of Land Forces, Lieutenant General Ljubisa Dikovic, the representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia, local self-government, and many citizens.

ANSWERS TO REPORTERS' QUESTIONS

Answering the questions from journalists about the importance of the Strategic Conference for Partners and future priorities of the Serbian Army, Sutanovac said at the conference discussed the priorities in the area of challenges, risks and threats to security at the global level. The Minister said that the conference will not change policy in the countries of NATO and the countries that attended the meeting.

-The Army of Serbia this year expects good news in modernization, continues with the training process, and there is the admission of new soldiers in September. We have entered into a dynamic, high-quality process, and I would like to stress that here in the south of Serbia we feel very comfortable, quite at home, as this area has seen the highest number of those interested in being admitted to professional military service. Some will say that this is due to the difficult economic situation, but I think these all these guys who are here today in uniform with a large dose of patriotism. Unfortunately the salaries are not at the level where we want it to be, but we try to be as decent - Sutanovac said.

Speaking about the security aspects and the role of the Serbian Army in this area, Sutanovac said that the Army fulfills its tasks in relation to the given circumstances and that there is no threat to safety or to the south of Serbia or in another territory.

In 21st century, we see were faced with trouble because we had not resorted to dialogue as a means of solving problems. Today, Serbia is dedicated to dialogues as a viable means of solving problems, because it is something that characterizes the modern world. It is better to devote hundred years to negotationas, rather than wage war even if it means for one day, and this is an old Serbian proverb that we must take into consideration - said the minister.

When it comes to revising and reconsidering the Kumanovo Military Agreement, Sutanovac said that Serbia has so far developed the necessary capacity to relax the agreement adopted in 1999, which has somewhat affected the sovereignty of Serbia.