15.03.2015.

President Nikolic met with Minister Gasic and General Dikovic

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic met with Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Serbian Armed Forces Head of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic on Sunday, concerning the helicopter crash that killed seven people on Friday.

President Nikolic noted that the tragedy is shaking the country and the entire region and that its scale is larger than anyone can fathom at this moment. "A humane, magnificent act has turned into a tragedy that shook Serbia deeply," Nikolic said. Stressing that the entire nation is in a state of complete shock, President of Serbia noted that composure must be maintained and light shed on all circumstances that led to the tragedy. He requested an urgent and complete report from Minister Gasic and Head of General Staff Dikovic.

“Only the truth and presenting facts can dispel even the faintest doubt and preserve the credibility of an institution that enjoys the most trust among the Serbian citizens”, President Nikolic said. He stressed the importance of continued care for the families of the killed, in a friendly and direct way.

Minister Bratislav Gasic thanked President for his support and informed him on the data that the Forces dispose of at the moment. “When it comes to the families, they will be secured in accordance to the law”, Gasic said. He stressed that it is very important to clear all doubts and that this is why the Commission’s report on what had happened will be precise and unambiguous. He stressed the importance of unity in the military which is exposed to frequent attacks and underlined that he will do everything to achieve unity in this organization.

The meeting was attended by Ranko Zivak, Commander of Air Force and Air Defence, Jovica Draganic, Deputy Head of the General Staff of Serbia, Slavoljub Janicijevic, Deputy Commander of the Joint Operative Command, and Colonel Milorad Vidakovic, Head of the Planning Sector at the Operative Business Department.