27.07.2013.

Defence minister visited Special brigade

Vice President and Minister of Defence of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, on occasion of one year of the Government, together with the Chief of Staff Gen Ljubisa Dikovic and Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Aleksandar Zivkovic visited the Special Brigade of the Army of Serbia, located in Pancevo barracks "Rastko Nemanjic" . Speaking about the results achieved in the previous year in the Defense Ministry and the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Vucic expressed satisfaction with SAF’s contribution to becoming the most prestigious institutions of our country, and the citizens of Serbia though flooded with bad news can definitely be proud of the Army and the Special Brigade .

- We have selected the most beautiful and the best place to mark the anniversary of the Government. Here, in the barracks Rastko Nemanjic, we had the opportunity to see the best Serbian unit in every respect, in terms of motivation and training. As a member of the government I am proud of the SAF and the Special Brigade, as something Serbia has, and something we can be proud of in the region - said the Minister Vucic, adding that members of the Special Brigade work for modest wages, but are always ready to defend the motherland.

- The fact that 50 foreign delegations who were in the Special Brigade only serves to prove this fact, and these delegations has a unique opportunity to see the level of training, knowledge, and everything the members of the units do- Vucic said, adding that this unit is the main deterrent mechanism that guarantees security of our country and our children.

Among the priorities for the future work of the Government Ministry Vucic mentioned improving financial status of SAF continues to equip the unit, including the first Air Force and the acquisition of new aircraft.

- The SAF and the Ministry did not have any scandals attached to their name, we accomplished even the most difficult tasks envisaged by the plan, and recently held exercise "Resava" the most complex exercise in the past few years, the best indicator of training and preparedness of our Armed Forces. This year alone we saved 20 percent in energy, and establishing a system of internal controls and financial management is one of highlights of our work this year - said the Minister Vucic told reporters, adding that members of the Army and now engaged in extinguishing the fire on the mountain Tara.

When asked about the purchase of new fighter and multi purpose aircrafts Minister Vucic said that this was crucial for country and our military.

- I will not say that we are not able to perform police work in the air, but for decades we were not able to invest in equipping the Air Force. We are about to finish this job as talks have intensified, and one of our expert delegations led by people from the Air Force is currently negotiating with the Russian Federation.

Speaking about a possible increase in the number of soldiers in the army minister stressed that the Serbian Army has been fully equipped and trained to protect the territory of the Republic.

- We are well aware of the numbers and the level of training of all the armies in the region, and I can say that we are at par with other armies in this respect. We are fully equipped to preserve our territory against any possible aggressor. Serbian armed forces are strong enough, trained and equipped to protect Serbian territory.

After a briefing with the Special Brigade Command, led by the unit commander, Brigadier General Ilija Todorov, a display equipment and ordnance was organized, as well as a display of training and skills of the brigade members.