20.04.2016.

Minister Djordjevic and General Dikovic at the meeting with the Mayor of Novi Sad

Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic and Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic with their associates, met today with the Mayor of Novi Sad Milos Vucevic at the Novi Sad City Hall. On this occasion, they discussed the implementation of the Master Plan, as well as the relocation of the facilities of the Serbian Armed Forces out of the city centre to the location of Majurska ada.

Speaking about the significance of today's meeting, Minister Djordjevic pointed out that it is a joint initiative, and that they reached an agreement on the most important issues very quickly.

- I had discussions at the Ministry of Defence with the Chief of General Staff, and the Serbian Armed Forces is interested in solving the said issues. This is the extension of what the Serbian Government does, and that is to employ all we can to develop the state and local self-government – the Defence Minister pointed out.

As he pointed out, that it is a big project which is comparable to some of the largest projects that are currently running in our country, expressing at the same time confidence that they will very quickly start with the realization.

Mayor Miloc Vucevic pointed out that it was a pretty demanding and challenging project.

- We are ready to start with this business and I am grateful to Minister Djordjevic and the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces for their support and willingness to work hard, in particular, on the realization of what is in the interest of the Republic of Serbia, the Serbian Armed Forces and Novi Sad – Mayor Vucevic said.

He also pointed out that he is particularly satisfied with the cooperation with the Serbian Armed Forces, in particular stressing the importance of the military hospital for all citizens of Novi Sad.

Responding to a reporter's question about the problem of persons who reside in military facilities intended for sale, Minister Djordjevic said that the project that have been discussed today should contribute to solving this issue as well, and that in other cities around the country there are also members of the defence system with unresolved housing issues. The Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, as he pointed out, are doing their best in accordance with their capabilities to solve this issue, and one of the ways are some of the projects in cooperation with the local government.

When it comes to the implementation of the Master Plan in Novi Sad, the process of alienation of the land on the site of 138, Industrijska Street and the part of the "National Hero Janko Čmelik" barracks is underway.