25.06.2019.
Minister Vulin: Srpska is a strategic and foreign policy priority of Serbia
A gathering of businessmen from Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serbia
- Republika Srpska is a strategic and foreign policy priority of Serbia. There has been no key decision ever taken by the leadership of our country without thinking about how it will affect Republika Srpska and the people living there. This is also true when it comes to the Ministry of Defence, and when it comes to this important segment of the Ministry of Defence – the defence industry, defence minister Aleksandar Vulin said opening the gathering of defence industry companies of Republika Srpska and the defence industry of the Republic of Serbia, held within the framework of the international fair of arms and military equipment “Partner 2019”.
- Over the last few years, we have significantly raised the level and scope of our mutual cooperation, and we will continue with that. Anything that Serbia can buy, and that comes from Republika Srpska, even if it exists elsewhere, we will always take it from Republika Srpska – the minister of defence said.Minister Vulin pointed out that for Serbia it is of great strategic significance that the production capacities of Republika Srpska are preserved and improved and that, at the level of the ministries of economy and finances of the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska, they are already discussing the possibility that the Serbian defence industry enters the ownership structure of some defence industry companies of Republika Srpska.
- You can expect in the future that we will enhance our cooperation and that we will allocate more money, that we will try to connect in spite of numerous challenges, despite the fact that there are many of those frowning when they hear that the Serbian defence industry cooperates with the defence industry of Republika Srpska. Not everyone is happy or content when they hear that the state of Serbia will give everything it can for the defence industry of Republika Srpska to thrive and strengthen – Minister Vulin said, adding that Serbs will always take care of the Serbs and that Serbia will always take care of Republika Srpska.
According to Minister Vulin, the defence industry of the Republic of Serbia will be connected with the defence industry of Republika Srpska, and the Ministry of Defence will take care of it.
- Republika Srpska does not have its own army, but the Serb people have their own army. That is precisely how Republika Srpska and its defence industry should perceive themselves, that they are to preserve the Serb people, no matter where they live. What you do is very important for us. Defence industries from Srpska and Serbia must be connected, and the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces will have the greatest benefit from your strengthening and from your further development – Minister Vulin emphasised.Minister of Economy and Entrepreneurship of Republika Srpska, Vjekoslav Petričević, pointed out that it is for the first time that the ministry he represents has opened its booth at the Partner fair demonstrating in that way how much importance they attach to the defence industry, and that 13 companies from Republika Srpska will present themselves at this year's fair.
- Republika Srpska wants to be a partner to Serbia in the new era of development of the Serbian defence industry. In planning safety and security, we wish to have a close partnership between our companies and arms manufacturers and security systems. We wish to appear in the international military market, in partnership with the Government of Serbia and companies from Serbia, along with all the capacities of our companies, such as “Orao” from Bijeljina, “Kosmos” from Banja Luka and others – Petričević said.
Those present were also addressed by the Assistant Minister for Industry within the Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship of Republika Srpska, Ms Sonja Tovilović, after which representatives of the companies from Republika Srpska had the opportunity to present key information on the production and technological capabilities of their companies and direct the focus on potential cooperation with producers of arms and military equipment from the Republic of Serbia.
The held meeting is another activity in a series that is being implemented by the governments of Serbia and Republika Srpska with the intention to improve the cooperation and connectivity of the defence industry of Republika Srpska and the defence capacities of the Republic of Serbia with concrete actions.
