24.12.2012.

Ceremonious academy on occasion of 100 years of the air force

The ceremony on the occasion of 100 years of Serbian Air Force and 50 years of anti missile units was held at JDP theatre last night.

The ceremony was attended by President of the Republic of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic, president of the National Assembly, Nebojsa Stefanovic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vucic, SAF CHOD Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic, commander of the Air Force Major General Ranko Zivak, ministers, representatives of the legislative, executive and the judiciary powers, military and diplomatic representatives accredited in our country, members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, representatives of religious communities, people from cultural and public life and the media.

Defense Minister Aleksandar Vucic congratulated all members of the Air Force anniversary wishing them "safe and free skies." He stressed that the celebration of 100 years of Serbian Air Force and 50 years of anti missile units is a privilege few countries in the world have.

Keeping up with the most developed countries of the world in those times and to form the Air Force, only nine years after the Wright brothers’ first flight, indicates a high level of awareness of the political, military and scientific elite in Serbia of those times who understood the importance of having open skies. For us is 100 years in the making and development of our elite vision of the Serbian Army. To this day, generations of pilots, air defense units, technicians and specialists in different aircraft profiles, built in their knowledge, experience, enthusiasm, youth and their lives in a rich aviation history, the minister stated adding that in future knowledge and equipment of the army would be improved, primarily in military aviation.

He said that in preparing a speech for formal academy his team debated whether to mention pilots who lost their lives defending the country in 1999.

"Whether or not it would be popular to mention them, how would this be accepted n our country and outside of the country? Men who defended our skies in 1999 represent pride, not shame. These are the people that future generations of children who will look up to when they think about how to protect the freedom and how to protect and preserve Serbia, "as Vucic said.

The defense minister said that it is our obligation "to remember their deeds" and all the deeds of other soldiers who died defending their homeland.

"Those are our heroes, and the heroes of whom we shall never forsake, whom we will always be proud of," said Minister Vucic, adding that the heroic deeds, valor and sacrifice of our aviation serve as a foundation for building a better future for us and our descendants .

- Serbia has a future. A country that has such an army that does not threaten anyone, does not endanger anyone, and that in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia protects its sovereignty, land and sky, has a lot to be proud of, said the Minister of Defence.

Accompanied by the Art Ensemble of the Ministry of Defense, "Stanislav Binicki" under the baton of Pavle Medakovic, the program's presentation featured numerous actors and musicians.

Members of the Air Force mark24th December as a day to commemorate the same date when the Duke Radomir Putnik decided on the formation of the Air Command based in Nis in 1912.

The year behind us was devoted to marking 100 years of Serbian military aviation with numerous manifestations.