18.03.2016.

Marking the Day of the Military Academy

Ceremony on the occasion of 18 March, the Day of the Military Academy, was held today at that higher education military institution. The ceremony was attended by Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic, Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Jovica Draganic, representatives of organizational units of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, representatives of religious communities and educational institutions.

Congratulating on the holiday, Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic said that the Military Academy is the leading military institution of higher education in the region.

- Today, as one of the oldest educational institutions of the Republic of Serbia, the Military Academy has been able to withstand the challenges of time and, respecting the culture, traditions and the results of the efforts and work of our predecessors, it constantly improves teaching processes and meets the highest standards in education – the Minister of Defence emphasized.

According to him, our officers are educated according

to international standards for engagement in conventional military operations of national defence, but also in peacekeeping operations in the world, as well as assistance to civilian authorities when the need arises.

- Today, the military profession is highly valued, and the title of an officer is highly valued in our society. Our goal is that Serbia always be a strong and stable country that will be a guarantee of security, and thus a respectable factor in the European and global scale –Minister Djordjevic said estimating that with the reformed Armed Forces and modernized military education, Serbia is ready to respond to security, educational and scientific challenges.

The Defence Minister stressed that today it is honour to be a member of such Armed Forces, and he said to the crowd that they should always work on themselves, because the state is not defended only with guns, but also by education.

Recalling the rich history of that higher military institution, Commandant of the Military Academy Major General Goran Zekovic, stated that the temple of military science has grown into an institution which educates more than 1500 students, of which 60 are from abroad, at different levels of education and advancement.

- Be sure that the Military Academy will remain a source of highly loyal, honourable and professional personnel of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces but also the promoter of the military profession in the region and the world – General Zekovic said.

During the ceremony, the Rector of the University of Defence Major General Professor Mladen Vuruna presented the awards to the most successful members of the Military Academy in the previous year, and the Head of the Military Academy Major General Goran Zekovic handed the letters of gratitude to the institutions with which the Military Academy cooperates.

The tradition of military education in Serbia is 166 years long and is closely associated with the process of the creation of the modern Serbian state. On 18 March 1850, Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic signed a Decree on the establishment of the Artillery School, whose tradition is still preserved by the Military Academy.