27.03.2012.
Minister Sutanovac visits Nis
Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Major General Milan Bjelica with the associates have visited today the Army Command in Nis.On this occasion, the Minister met with the Army Commander Major General Milan Mojsilovic to discuss the foreground tasks of the Army in 2012 and problems in building operational capabilities. After an address at the Collegium of Army Commanders, Minister Sutanovac accompanied by General Mojsilovi? visited the Operational Centre of the Army Command and rooms for special purposes.
After the visit, Minister pointed out that he was very pleased not only with the situation in the Army, but also with activities undertaken by its members during natural disasters this winter helping citizens throughout Serbia and completing tasks that others could not.
Continuing the visit, Minister of Defence made a tour of the Company for training of hound handlers, dog breeding and training of the Logistics Training Centre in "Knjaz Mihajlo" barracks in Nis, where he was met by Training Command Commander, Brigadier General Dusan Stojanovic. In the institution specialised in training dogs intended to protect officials and for explosive and narcotic detection, safeguarding of facilities and property, Minister Sutanovac was presented purposes, tasks and problems of that company.
Commenting on the visit to the Centre for training dogs, Sutanovac noted that its relocation has been planned underlining its importance, and intention for it to become a regional centre. In this way, both the dogs and the handlers will be trained to respond to risky situations. He said that dogs play an important role, especially under the limiting conditions for the human body.- It is also important to say that there is great interest in the region and the world and I believe that this Centre will become a regional centre – Sutanovac said.
During his visit to Nis, the Minister also visited the museum display in the Memorial Room of the Centre and the veterinary infirmary for medical care of dogs.
Company members have demonstrated their capabilities and level of training of dogs and performed a demonstration exercise "Display of proficiency of dogs and handlers."
ANSWERS TO JOURNALISTS' QUESTIONS
Answering the journalists' questions about the accession of Serbia to the European Defence Agency, Minister Sutanovac said that he expects an official letter from Catherine Ashton to which he will certainly respond positively and begin negotiations on joining the European Defence Agency.
- It is important to say that it is practically the first step to entering the EU system, and this will be the step of the Serbian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence and we are very proud of that. Joining the European Defence Agency is also important from the aspect of our defence industry. We will have a major incentive for research and development and we expect that with the help of Military Technical Institute our defence industry produces more modern equipment, which will find customers not only in the Serbian Armed Forces but also outside our borders – the Minister said, recalling that in the past four years the export of arms and military equipment multiplied.
- In relation to the number of employees in that sector and the size of our country, we are indeed a great power in exports. Last year we had a record $ 250 million in exports and we expect in the years to come to develop this work even more – the Minister said, noting that we will have new markets already in spring.
When asked about the bombing of the RTS building in 1999, the Defence Minister underlined that there can hardly be in Serbia someone who is more interested to solve that case.
- Every year, that issue is raised on the Day of Remembrance. The Ministry of Defence has made all the documents available both to the prosecution and the public on the website of the Ministry of Defence. I recently asked for help from Jelko Kacin, not to help us in revealing this situation, but in getting the procedure if it was possible for anyone to communicate in this way, that the conversation is intercepted and later to obtain the transcript. In fact, I received assurances that there is no possibility that a fighter pilot from the aircraft communicate with the base and thus to obtain the target via the address or name of the building – the Minister said and pointed out that the Ministry of Defence is ready to do whatever is necessary to finally come to the truth.
PHOTOGALLERY
