18.09.2012.

OTEH 2012 conference opens

First Vice president of the Government and Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vucic opened the 5th scientific conference in the field of defense technologies OTEH 2012 held in VTI.

Opening ceremony was attended by Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic, members of the Minister of Defence’s staff, representatives of the Serbian Army, Repair Institute, defense industry factories, institutes, colleges as well as participants and other guests.

Minister Vucic, opening the meeting, said that OTEH was an extremely important scientific and technical event held for a comprehensive and multidisciplinary analysis of scientific and technological development in the field of defense.

- This meeting of scientists and engineers, researchers and designers, manufacturers and academics to meet professionals and exchange creative ideas. I expect professional papers and solutions to the problems they present will have practical application in areas important for the defense industry and the Army of Serbia because the future of our defense industry as well as our military comes from what we know and how much we can learn, he said.

Vucic said that the Ministry of Defence recognizes the importance of increasing the growth of investment in research and development projects in the field of defense.

The strategic goal is to increase investment in new production systems that are used both in defense as well as for the needs of the civilian sector. These investments will directly boost the economic development, improved exports, raising the necessary knowledge and domestic potentials, improving the industrial and technological base, as well as the revitalization of industries such as aerospace, automotive, mechanical, electrical, chemical and many other industries. The Minister expressed hope that this year's OTEH will raise the interest in bilateral cooperation with Serbia and encourage joint investments in production of defense systems as well as their placement in the domestic and international markets.

VTI's Director Col. doc. Zoran Rajic said that the VTI tries to find a way to manufacture all weapons designed by VTI here in Serbia, and at the same time their quality and price are competitive in the international market.

- Between two OTEH conferences, the VTI was granted a license for the design of aircraft, and the Scientific Technical Review, published by VTI, was categorized as the leading journal of national importance, and continued with intense international scientific and technical cooperation. Last year has seen 302 persons from 51 countries visit the VTI and 59 experts from VTI visited 21 foreign countries, said Colonel Rajic thanking everyone who participated in the organization of the event.

After the opening ceremony, the Minister and his colleagues visited the trisonic tunnel. This year’s OTEH has 02 participants from 16 countries. The program will enable participants to present their papers in sections, visit the most important laboratories of the Institute, an exhibition of books and exhibits of weapons and military equipment.

Responding to questions from journalists, Minister Vucic said that such a scientific event, which means the promotion of the development and promotion of the technology, for our country is of great importance.

- We want to export more of our knowledge and products, we want to influence the increase and improvement of the economic development of the country. Accordingly, the exchange of experience and knowledge are invaluable, and the Military Technical Institute is a unique institution in Serbia by international guests like to visit – as Minister Vucic says, adding that the Defense Technology is one of the most important aspects that should future research should focus on in the future, and money should be allocated for this in times of crisis.