06.10.2011.

Defence Minister visits garnisons Gornji Milanovac and Cacak

Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac visited today garrisons Gornji Milanovac and Cacak, and on this occasion handed in the flat keys to the professional and retired members of Serbian Armed Forces and civilians in these towns.

In Gornji Milanovac, Minister Sutanovac handed in 47 flat keys in the settlement “Ivice”, and talked on that occasion with families who resolved their housing problem today.

The handing in of keys was attended by Assistant Minister for Material Resources Ilija Pilipovic, Serbian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff General Miloje Miletic and Commander of the Training Command Lieutenant General Aleksandar Zivkovic.

- Today, we handed in 47 keys in Gornji Milanovac, and we plan to hand in another 24 in the next period. In this way, only about thirty families will remain with unsolved housing issue, but I hope that they would also find a way to solve these problems in cooperation with Defence Ministry. Then we could say we do not have members of Serbian Armed Forces in Gornji Milanovac who do not have their own flats – said Minister Sutanovac.

He added that the housing construction is being continued, since one of the most important goals in the reform of Serbian Armed Forces is standard of its current and former members. By the end of the year, we plan to resolve 2,000 housing issues by allocating flats or loans, which presents a record compared to a past few decades.

Retired Major ?emal Ademovic says that he has been without a flat for 20 years. “This is the thirteenth time that I am moving, but this time, moving presents new hope for me and my family – says Ademovic.

Senior Staff Sergeant of the First Class Viktor Rudic from Gornji Milanovac, together with his wife Mila and sons Andrej and David, entered his new flat for the first time today.

- I am in Milanovac garrison for more that 18 years and as of today the life will be much easier for me and my family, as we previously lived at my parents’ place. Children will get larger space and better living conditions, as well as those for work and education – Senior Sergeant Rudic is delighted.

Captain Milan Markovic, who comes from Pirot, but has worked in Gornji Milanovac since 2005, also received a flat.

- I have been waiting for a flat since 2002, and this day today brings big hope for a better tomorrow, both in my military carrier and life. Currently, I am single, but I am planning a wedding soon – said Captain Markovic.

Expressing his content that he was also able to hand in the flat keys in Cacak to nine members of Serbian Armed Forces, who waited for long to resolve their housing issue, Minister stressed that, in Cacak, 12 more flats will very soon be moved in.

- I believe this is a big success and that so many flats have not been allocated in these towns for many years. About 40 more families remain to be taken care of – emphasised Minister Sutanovac reminding that Defence Ministry and Serbian Armed Forces have the possibility to provide subsidies in the form of non-refundable loans to their active and retired members.

According to him, today, military personnel in Serbia mostly receive salaries higher that the national average, meaning that wherever they come, a microclimate which reinforces local economy should be created. This is especially important for both Cacak and Gornji Milanovac.
Sergeant Major Vojo Conjic is one of those whom the keys were handed in today, and who has been waiting for 27 years to have his housing problem resolved.

- I am happy and pleased. The building is exceptionally beautiful, on a good location, and the flat is spacious. I am sure that my wife and I, as well as our son and daughter, who is already a student, will enjoy in it – Sergeant Major Conjic stressed.

Referring back to yesterday’s landing of the first civilian airplane at the airport „Morava“, which is very close to Cacak, Minister Sutanovac assessed that around two million people in that part of Serbia gravitate to that airport.

- Large number of people who live abroad, also gravitate towards that part of our country and I believe that, as of spring next year, we will have first regular lines, which would enable “Morava”’s functioning and will make it economically justifiable – Minister Sutanovac pointed out, reminding that the airport remains the Serbian Armed Forces and Defence Ministry’s property, since it is necessary for our country’s security. Employment for civilian purposes, as he added, will bring new job openings, and will also enable airport’s quality maintenance without any costs for the Ministry.

Responding to journalists’ questions, Minister Sutanovac pointed out that in Cacak, as well as, in many towns across Serbia, the exchange of immobilities which are non-perspective for flats has begun, so as the exchange the money, stressing that in that town the common solution has been reached with local self-government and Building Directorate of Serbia.

In Valjevo, we are planning to start the construction of wooden houses, which would be produced in a manufacturing plant in Sabac. They will be the product of Defence Ministry, and we plan to install them across Serbia, resolving in that way the problem of all those people who have not been housed yet. By doing that, we would put an end to one period from the past, which caused that there are so many people with unresolved housing issue.

Minister also told journalists that the Serbian security forces’ report, about the events in the north of Kosovo, which was presented at the session of the Parliamentary Board for Security, was confidential, and that the media, under the impression of strong emotions, placed an incomplete story.

He stressed that the very session of the Parliamentary Board for Security was one of the best he attended and that the detailed report, about everything that has been going on in the north of Kosovo, has been presented, not only from the perspective of the military services, but the reports of other security agencies as well.

- We have to do everything so as not to provoke events that could lead to conflict in Kosovo. We have been trying to reach the solution in a diplomatic way, peacefully and through negotiations”, Minister emphasised. He added that after 1999 Serbia lost its territorial sovereignty in Kosovo, but kept the population, so that if their safe stay in Kosovo is enabled, Serbia has a chance of achieving its interests.