21.12.2013.
Strengthening of the Serbian Defence Industry
In the Central Military Club Belgrade today the meeting has been held about the functioning of the Defence Industry of Serbia commercial societies grouping. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Defence Nebojša Rodić, Minister of Finance Lazar Krstić, Chief of General Staff General Ljubiša Diković, the representatives of the Ministry of Economy, directors of all commercial societies in this grouping, presidents of supervisory boards and the representatives of commercial societies assembly and of the “Yugoimport SDPR“. The issues regarding the financial consolidation of the enterprises in this grouping, improvement of the production capacities, social programme for solving the surplus labour and property rights issues caused by the privatization process were discussed at the meeting.
Defence industry is an important part of the economy of Serbia and it has the task of further organizational and business strengthening ahead of it taking into account its production potentials and export possibilities. A new developing perspective has been opened by the Administrative Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia and the European Defence Agency which was signed in Brussels by the Minister of Defence Nebojša Rodić and a High Representative for External Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union Catherine Ashton, who also performs the duty of the Director of the European Defence Agency.The agreement with the European Defence Agency enables the strengthening of domestic specified-purpose industry and research potential of the Serbian institutes and technological updating of armed
forces and thus also the improvement of military and defence capabilities. It is a chance that should be made good use of making an effort, with the help of foreign investors, to increase the capacities, to faster realize perspective projects and to find more easily, together with partners, the customers in the world market. At today`s meeting it has been pointed out that in order to further strengthen domestic defence industry it is necessary to ensure even better functioning, better business, working and technological discipline, as well as to elevate the quality of personnel structure in accordance with clearly defined demands.
The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia will do everything possible to support and make the available capacities of the Defence Industry of Serbia stronger because it represents an important segment of the economy of our country. For that purpose it will continue to cooperate closely with the authorized governmental bodies therein expecting that the support as of a previous period be continued in a subsequent period as well.
