21.07.2014.
Minister of Defence in Vranje
The keys to seven apartments at 53 Milentija Popovica St. in the Ogledna Stanica residential area in Vranje, were handed over today by Minister of Defence Bratislav Gasic to active and retired members of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Serbia. The City Council in Vranje took over the complex “Bunusevac 4” and a part of the “Bunusevac 5” complex from the Ministry, for which it undertook to give 22 apartments to the Armed Forces, 7 of which have been inhabited today, while the remaining 15 will get their new owners in the first half of August. The apartments are just a part of the remuneration, while the remaining 1,265,061.77 euros will be compensated by the local self-government in currency or via real estates.Congratulating the new apartment owners, Ministar Gasic said that the Armed Forces of Serbia fulfills its promises and that its members get apartments almost each week.
- I expect for us to hand over the first 11 apartments in Pirot in Thursday or Friday – Minister Gasic said, adding that many members of the Armed Forces of Serbia choose to solve their residential issue via loans from the Military Fund, and stressed that 150 million RSD have been allocated for this purpose. He conveyed his hope that, in 2014, many apartments that are finished might be handed over to members of the defence system.
Minister Gasic was the first guest at the new apartment of Staff Sergeant 1st Class Boban Zlatanovic, whose family has a roof over their heads as of today and had waited for their residential issue to be solved for 20 years.
- After 20 years of waiting and living as a tenant, I have got my apartment. My family and I are beyond happy, because we are not tenants any more, and it is all thanks to the Ministry of Defence – Zlatanovic said, stressing that they had changed several garrisons until now.After many years of service in the Vranje Garrison, Srdjan Tomic’s family of four also got their own home.
- I had waited for 18 years to get my apartment and, until now, my family and I lived at my father’s, in less than 16 square meters. This is the greatest day of my life – military employee Tomic said, not hiding his joy for finally entering his own apartment.
The key handover was attended by Army Commander Lieutenant General Aleksandar Zivkovic, Major General Bojan Zrnic, Head of the Defence Technology Department, Brigadier General Zoran Lubura, Commander of the 4th Army Brigade and representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Serbia.
During the rest of his visit to Vranje, Minister of Defence also visited the factory “Pamucni Kombinat – YUMCO” AD Vranje. Topic of the meeting with authorities of this company was its cooperation with the Ministry of Defence.Defence Minister said that a venture worth 340 million RSD is almost completed; the one that the Armed Forces of Serbia had paid in advance to the YUMCO last year, which was spent on returning left-over paychecks by the former authorities. The qualitative delivery of the uniforms will be realized at the Military Technical Institute in the course of this week.
- I hope that we will sign another contract by the end of this week with the “YUMCO” Company worth 200 million RSD, which would be realized by the end of 2014. Of course, “YUMCO” has been given additional 200 million RSD from the National Postal Service of Serbia – Posta Srbije, and we expect for the Police to come forth with their order – Defence Minister said, expressing his belief that this company will secure stable business in this year with these contracts, announcing that, as soon as in the beginning of the next year, the Ministry of Defence would allocate around 300 million RSD for procurement of new uniforms.
When it comes to workers’ unions, Minister Gasic promised them to talk to Minister of Economy Dusan Vujovic, so that he might come to Vranje as well as soon as possible and talk to the unions about their issues.
Director General of the “YUMCO” Factory Goran Djordjevic pointed out that, thanks to the efforts of the Serbian Government, especially the Ministry of Defence, this company initiated production. He said that so far three left-over paychecks were paid, and that another one would be paid this week. According to him, this company has a perspective, thanks to the signed contracts with state-owned companies, and announced ventures with the Ministry of Defence.
Snezana Velickovic, a representative of the ASNS Union, whose members have been on strike for 7 months, said that Minister of Defence had announced several ventures for this factory and that she was given a promise that all irregularities in the factory’s business would be inspected. However, the employees will remain on strike until the authorities meet their demands, that is to pay them two more salaries and realize a social program.In the period between 2010 and 2013, Pamucni Kombinat – YUMCO” made four contracts for acquiring around 30,000 sets of new M-10 type uniforms for members of the Armed Forces of Serbia. 23,000 sets have been delivered so far, and delivery of the remaining 7,000 is expected by the end of August.
Procurement of 3,300 sets of military camouflage uniforms is under way, to equip the Armed Forces of Serbia and our members that are referred to multinational operations. With completely new cut and digital print, the fourteen-piece uniform has maximum functionality and is adjusted to the needs of a modern-day soldier.
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