03.09.2012.

Renovated gym opened in Kraljevo

First Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Aleksandar Vucic and U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick opened today the renovated gym of the elementary school "Svetozar Markovic" in Kraljevo.

The ceremony was attended by SAF CHOD Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic, commander of the Ohio National Guard, Major General Deborah Ashenhurst, Mayor of Kraljevo Dragan Jovanovic, school Principal Dragica Spajic, staff and students of the school.

On that occasion, Defence Minister thanked everyone who participated in the renovation of the gym.

Let me extend my gratitude to the US European Command for not only donating $ 300,000 for this gym where our children can become champions, to play and have a happier childhood, but because the people who were sent there along with our soldiers, construction workers and engineers worked hard for more than 20 days, and also because they wanted to do something for our children, for Kraljevo, Serbia. I learned something from General Ashenhurst when I told her that it was not $ 300,000 that were most important, she said that it was true, as people are who speak and not the money, said the Minister.

He added that we are a small country, a nation of proud people who want to cooperate with everyone in the world, but which above all must care about its future.

- Our future are these children, their maturing and education, our future is to make sure they are good and honest people, and it is up to us to do something more than what we have done so far, as minister Vucic said.

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia has expressed her pleasure at being back in Kraljevo and attend the opening event of the gym in "Svetozar Markovic" school.

- I'm very impressed when I hear how hard, diligently and successfully the members of the two armies worked in August, and the final result is this first-class sports gym, where students will have physical education classes organized in the best way. Since the earthquake struck Kraljevo, the U.S. has been very committed to helping its citizens to rebuild their city. In addition to the assistance we provided in January 2011, namely the equipment for the reconstruction of destroyed buildings, this project is another example of such assistance, said Ambassador Warlick.

Major General Ashenhurst said that the smiles on the faces of children are the same smiles she saw on the faces of soldiers from Ohio when they returned to the United States.

- I want to thank all of you for giving me and my soldiers a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the development of the local community. We spend a lot of time soldiers preparing and carrying out military action, but such an opportunity to help children is more than welcome. When the soldiers returned to Ohio they only had words of praise about what they experienced here, but above all they praised the children, as General Ashenhurst remarked, adding that every time there is such cooperation it is a great pleasure to participate in it.

Mayor Jovanovic and principal, Dragica Spajic thanked everyone for their help in rebuilding of school, wishing the pupils a successful start of the new school year.

Renovation of school premises was jointly done by members of the Ohio National Guard and the Army of Serbia, within the project "Humanitarian Assistance" by the U.S. European Command. The project included the renovation and restoration of the school gym, damaged in an earthquake in late 2010, so in August this year 32 members of the Ohio National Guard and 20 members of the Second Brigade of the Army worked together on this project.

The money was donated by US EUCOM and the investor of the works was the U.S. Embassy.