09.04.2012.

Visit to "Jug" military base

Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac, Assistant Material Resources Ilija Pilipovic and Serbian Army Chief of General Staff Lieutenant-General Ljubisa Dikovic, with their associates visited Vranje and "Jug" military base

During the visit to the base, the minister spoke with the commander of Army Major General Milan Mojsilovic and the Fourth Army Brigade Commander Brigadier General Milosav Simovic. After that, Sutanovac and his associates attended physical training session of the Fourth Brigade who are preparing for participation in the peacekeeping mission.

According to the minister, military base "Jug" is very important for the Army of Serbia, but also for the civilian population of that area.

- It is now the largest infrastructure project completion achieved and who becomes familiar. It is on the territory of the Fourth Brigade which performs its tasks in rather difficult conditions. This project also has a multi-functional use. Today we present the physical training of our military who are preparing for participation in peacekeeping operations. We expect that, upon completion of land acquisition, base receive international character and finally, as promised, here we get the instructors and the soldiers will be trained in multinational operations, said Sutanovac.

He emphasized that the fourth brigade for the area in which the brigade is extremely important from the safety aspect in the south of Serbia, but also important in terms of assistance to the civilian population.

Civil Military Cooperation that was seen during the winter, but otherwise, should serve as an example to all the brigades of the Army of Serbia and gives us a guarantee that coexistence is possible in this area, if there is positive energy, and the Army of Serbia is the bearer of positive energy - said Minister of Defence, adding that the consequences of major natural disasters that have befallen us this winter, thanks to our army have been relieved, so the residents could safely come to town, and receive appropriate medical attention in this brigade.

The base "Jug" is situated some five kilometers from the center of Bujanovac, on the left side of the highway Belgrade-Nis-Vranje-Bujanovac, which leads to the Serbian-Macedonian border. The complex occupies about 35 +65 acres of land with 66 buildings covering a total surface of 22 000 m2. It is designed to accommodate about 1,000 soldiers, with all necessary equipment, weapons, combat and non-combat vehicles, quartermaster equipment and other resources necessary for the daily functioning of the modern professional military units. The base also has facilities for training, logistical support, leisure and sports personnel.

Military bases "Jug" is the most modern type of barracks building, which owns the Serbian Army. Of the other barracks differ according to the conception of buildings and equipment, and most of the rooms for the accommodation of soldiers. The base has a complex of sports facilities, a restaurant which seats 2,000 people, an ambulance, boiler room, a gas station and a modern workshop for repair. In addition, the base has sufficient capacity warehouses, garages, hangars and eaves.

The military base “Jug” offers optimal conditions for life and work of some 1,000 soldiers and police officers, accommodation of special equipment and technical resources. Construction began 2003rd was completed six years later.
The database will be to gradually put into operation in accordance with the adopted dynamic plan, to start operating at full capacity is planned for June 2015th year. The total value of works is 1.74 billion RSD.

As part of today's visit to Vranje, Sutanovac and his associates visited the restored house of the army in that city.

It is the former officers' club, built back in 1932, whose complete restoration and refurbishment of the interior and exterior lasted two years with support from the Ministry of Defence, General Staff of the Serbian Army and the Army.

The investor of works is the Military Construction Directorate of the Ministry of Defence., which received donation via embassies of Norway, Sweden, the United States and the Netherlands which helped equip the building. The ceremony to mark the opening of that, a more representative building, was commemorated in October last year.

ANSWERS TO REPORTERS’ QUESTIONS

Commenting on recent statements about increasing the number of members of the Army of Serbia, despite the global trend to reduce the armed forces, Sutanovac explained that in terms of analysis by which the number of vacant positions to replace the missing, and that is the highest in the Army.

- Personnel plan still relies on the number of 36 thousand, and will remain so in the future, but within that reach certain organizational changes mobilization - the minister said minister.

He also said that the Serbian Army does not divide people and the citizens of Serbia on ethnic, religious or any other basis, and all people who respect the state of Serbia and who wish to participate in our army were welcomed by certain conditions that are stimulating and which imply a certain mental and physical ability.

- Every year an increasing number of young people from ethnic minorities who entered the Military Academy and join the Army of Serbia, and would like to be in the southern part of our country the same happens, if not this year, next or any subsequent year - said the Minister by adding defense to go in the direction of stabilization and that these relations to fourth Brigade building with local people contribute to young people who are unemployed in this area right job in the Army of Serbia.

Sutanovac said that for the area of Bujanovac, the Ministry of Defence allocated 900 RSD for salaries and operating costs, and 600 million for salaries, and without that money the municipality would be economically devastated. He said the goal is the employment of young people in positions of professional soldiers.

Answering the question about how frequently they maintain contact with the KFOR, the Minister said that it could not be said that there are frequent contacts, but there needs to be maintained and those at higher and lower level.

- We see what happened last July, and we wish to ignore the possible incidents. KFOR is, regardless of the attitude of individuals towards him, an ally, to stabilize the entire region
- Minister of Defense said, adding that without it any more difficult to maintain security and to that part of Serbia.

Speaking about the participation of our members in peacekeeping operations, the Minister said that a total of 67 of our members participate in five peacekeeping operations, while soon our army would send an officer to Operation Atalanta on the coast of Somalia. He added that there were ongoing negotiations for our soldiers participate soon under Italian or Spanish contingent in a multinational operation.

Sutanovac said that the military and security situation in southern Serbia was safe, current problems are being solved with our military as a stabilizing factor in the south.