23.07.2016.

Prime Minister Vucic on a visit to the Special Brigade of the Serbian Armed Forces

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, ministers of defence and interior, Zoran Djordjevic and Nebojsa Stefanovic, respectively, and Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic, visited the Special Brigade of the Serbian Armed Forces, in the Rastko Nemanjic barracks in Pancevo.

During the presentation of the Brigade, its members showed their skills through the martial arts, engaging terrorists in a hijacked vehicle and releasing the hostages and engaging the terrorists in the occupied building. There was also presented tactical display of arms and military equipment.

Prime Minister Vucic praised the readiness of members of the Special Brigade to respond in very difficult conditions and carry out the most difficult and demanding exercises "without a mat, not complaining and not saving themselves".

- They are well trained for the protection, preservation and defence of our country. In addition, they showed also equipment, the latest

5,65mm 6,5mm guns, the new American calibre, the new American modular rifle that is to be introduced in the armament of this brigade by the end of March, Vucic said.

He pointed out that there is agreement for the admission of new 200 members to the Special Brigade, because "we wish to have 1500 elite soldiers and also a significant number of highly trained policemen".

- They are always ready to accept and respond to any attack on the Republic of Serbia, not only in the fight against terrorism. These 1500 soldiers will be equipped with the most modern equipment and no soldier in the world will be better equipped than them, the Prime Minister said.

Vucic also said that they will reinforce the work of our UAVs that they will manage to arm in a year.

- We are buying also new helicopters after the newly arrived Russian transport ones. We will buy the German-French Airbus helicopters, and then we will move on to purchasing and equipping the combat aviation. We expect a continuation of cooperation with Western countries and the Russian Federation. I would note that we have established serious cooperation with Chinese friends and today we had opportunity to see a donation by the People's Republic of China comprising 24 boats for 15 members of the Brigade each, said the prime minister.

According to him, we are ready to respond to all the challenges in order to try to always protect our country. He added that he is very proud of our army and the police, because "they have never cooperated better" and added that they will work together on rejecting terrorist and other potential attacks on Serbia. Vucic said that the defence minister will

visited today the deployed military and police forces that jointly carry out tasks on the protection of state borders.

Responding to a reporter's question about the financial situation of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces, the prime minister announced a "moderate correction" of their financial status by the end of the year.

- We will increase their salaries and improve their equipment. They are looking forward to that, too – to every machine, boat, new fighting vehicle, airplane or helicopter. After 35 years, we bought helicopters. We are to replenish the equipment, produce the most modern guns, we have solved the problem with the barrels for the gun in Zastava Arms. Soldiers are responsible people and we have the money to increase their salaries, Vucic said.