25.03.2026.
Minister Gašić visits Prince Miloš Obrenović barracks in Knjaževac
Today, Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić visited the Prince Miloš Obrenović barracks in the municipality of Knjaževac to assess the condition of the facility and explore the possibilities of putting it at a disposal of the local government for future use.
During the visit, Minister Gašić reflected on the state of the Serbian Armed Forces in the previous period and on the attitude to military resources.- What they failed to accomplish during the 1999 NATO aggression, namely, to destroy the Serbian Armed Forces, their collaborators, who governed Serbia at the time, attempted to achieve in peacetime. They started dismantling, downsizing, and destroying the Serbian Armed Forces – their equipment, weapons, facilities such as this barracks, which was built in 1956 with the money provided by the citizens of Knjaževac – Minister Gašić emphasized. He also noted that the barracks has not been used for 21 years and that it once played a significant role in the town’s economy.
He said that he had discussed plans for the future purpose of the barracks with members of the armed forces and representatives of the local government.
- We have reached an agreement and we will implement our plan over the next fifteen days or so. First, the Serbian Armed Forces, along with experts and the General Staff, will offer their assessment. We want to establish another large barracks in eastern Serbia where young recruits will be stationed – Minister Gašić said. Once the location is defined, he added, the Ministry of Defence will approach the local government, which has expressed interest in building an industrial zone on the site of the barracks.
Commenting on the reintroduction of compulsory military service, the Minister of Defence said that preparations for the procurement of equipment and weapons for young recruits have been fully completed. He said it was important to assess current developments in the region, across Europe, and globally, and based on that assessment, make a decision on when the first intake of recruits would begin.During the visit, Minister Gašić was accompanied by the Deputy Commander of the Training Command, Brigadier General Nebojša Cvetković, the Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence, Colonel Nikola Matović, the Commander of the Timok Brigade, Colonel Vladimir Stojanović, and the President of the Municipality of Knjaževac, Milan Đokić.
