12.10.2014.

Minister of Defence at the finishing preparations for the military parade

Minister of Defence Bratislav Gasic, Head of the General Staff of Serbia Genreal Ljubisa Dikovic and Mayor of Belgrade Sinisa Mali attended today in Usce the finishing preparations and joint defile rehearsals of the units of the Republic of Serbia which will participate in the military parade on Thursday, October 16.

- The finishing preparations for the military parade in Usce are coming to a close, and I believe that Serbia and the Armed Forces of Serbia have something to be proud of. We saw all the echelons and sub-echelons which will be a part of the parade and that is what the SAF has prepared to present on the occasion of 70 years since the liberation of Belgrade in the Second World War. We have something to be proud of and we want to show that to all our friends around the world – Minister of Defence Bratislav Gasic said after the defile which featured all the units and assets of which the Armed Forces of Serbia disposes of today.

Evaluating the level of training of the units for the defile, Head of the General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic said that the level of their preparedness is at a satisfactory level and that the Armed Forces of Serbia will be presented to the citizens of Serbia and their guests in the best way possible.

- This parade will show that we do not fall behind anyone in the region when it comes to equipment or training of units. The importance of this parade is great, and we are all very motivated to take part in it as, in a way, it represents the pinnacle of the professional career of every member of the Armed Forces. We have seen and heard this during these days from the conversations with the soldiers which have expressed their pleasure to have the opportunity to participate in the defile during the military parade – General Ljubisa Dikovic said.

Stressing that the city services have fulfilled the greater part of their commitments concerning the military parade, Mayor Sinisa Mali expressed his gratitude to the Armed Forces of Serbia for their good cooperation and promised that, in the next few days, everything will be ready for the great event on Thursday, October 16.

Aside from the Army, Air Force and Air Defence echelons, the motorized echelon also performed a defile in front of the highest senior staff of the Armed Forces and numerous citizens, where mobile arms and military equipment were displayed. Other defiles included arms of artillery and air defence missile units, construction machinery of engineering units, arms and military equipment in development, and the striking force of armored and mechanized units – combat infantry vehicles BVP M-80A and M-84 tanks.

Vessels from the formation of the Riverine Flotilla also sailed from the New Belgrade port. During the military parade, they will move on the right bank of the Danube River simultaneously with the Army echelon defile. Helicopter and aircraft pilots of the Air Force and Air Defence also showed what their role in the parade will be, by flying over Boulevard Nikola Tesla and greeting all participants and spectators of the finishing joint preparations for the parade.

A parachuting landing at the parade will present 30 members of the 63rd Parachuting Battalion whose jumps the citizens could see at today’s rehearsal.