Post by vinjak on Sept 21, 2008 17:17:37 GMT -5
BELGRADE -- The Serbian Army (VS) has shelved plans to cut its troop numbers, and will instead seek to bolster its size by some 2,000 soldiers.
Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac called on all those interested to continue their careers as professional soldiers, as Serbia is ready for a fully professional army.
In recent years, it appeared that Serbia was heading for a smaller, but more effective, army.
Two years ago, when a draft strategic defense review was compiled, the plan was to bring the VS’s numbers down to 21,000 by 2010. However, last week, President Boris Tadiæ announced that the plans was now to increase the contingent from 28,000 to 30,000.
The VS says that the circumstances have changed.
“How big and what shape the army will take always depends on requirements and possibilities. The foreign policy and security situation have become more complex. In any case, the situation isn’t such that we should continue scaling down. Proclaimed neutrality is one dimension, but the fact is, we’re not part of any alliance. And the security situation in the region, and in the world, is such that it makes no sense to reduce numbers,” explained VS Chief-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Zdravko Ponoš.
The Defense Ministry states that Serbia needs a strong, effective and modern army, and that a further 2,000 troops will not put too great a strain on the budget.
“We have, in effect, moved away from the concept of reducing our armed forces, partly because there are 30,000 military personnel in the Defense Ministry and HQ overall. We want to demilitarize the Defense Ministry, and through resystematization and reorganization introduce more civilian personnel, and for officers and junior officers currently working within the ministry to return to their regiments, and that will practically bring us up to 30,000,” explained Šutanovac.
Serbia’s military is over twice the size of that of any other former Yugoslav republic. Of neighboring countries, only Romania and Bulgaria have bigger armies.
Šutanovac: Committed to EU, Kosovo
Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac says Serbia is committed to EU integration, but won’t give up its rights to Kosovo.
Attending a central oath-taking ceremony by the September generation of new recruits at the Major Milan Tepiæ barracks in Jakovo yesterday, Šutanovac said that Serbia needed a strong army as a guarantee for the peaceful resolution of problems in Kosovo.
“Serbia is committed to European integration, but Serbia will never surrender its rights in Kosovo. In order to be able to protect our rights in Kosovo using diplomatic means, we have to have a strong and efficient army which is a guarantee for peaceful resolution of the Kosovo problem,” underlined Šutanovac.
Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac called on all those interested to continue their careers as professional soldiers, as Serbia is ready for a fully professional army.
In recent years, it appeared that Serbia was heading for a smaller, but more effective, army.
Two years ago, when a draft strategic defense review was compiled, the plan was to bring the VS’s numbers down to 21,000 by 2010. However, last week, President Boris Tadiæ announced that the plans was now to increase the contingent from 28,000 to 30,000.
The VS says that the circumstances have changed.
“How big and what shape the army will take always depends on requirements and possibilities. The foreign policy and security situation have become more complex. In any case, the situation isn’t such that we should continue scaling down. Proclaimed neutrality is one dimension, but the fact is, we’re not part of any alliance. And the security situation in the region, and in the world, is such that it makes no sense to reduce numbers,” explained VS Chief-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Zdravko Ponoš.
The Defense Ministry states that Serbia needs a strong, effective and modern army, and that a further 2,000 troops will not put too great a strain on the budget.
“We have, in effect, moved away from the concept of reducing our armed forces, partly because there are 30,000 military personnel in the Defense Ministry and HQ overall. We want to demilitarize the Defense Ministry, and through resystematization and reorganization introduce more civilian personnel, and for officers and junior officers currently working within the ministry to return to their regiments, and that will practically bring us up to 30,000,” explained Šutanovac.
Serbia’s military is over twice the size of that of any other former Yugoslav republic. Of neighboring countries, only Romania and Bulgaria have bigger armies.
Šutanovac: Committed to EU, Kosovo
Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac says Serbia is committed to EU integration, but won’t give up its rights to Kosovo.
Attending a central oath-taking ceremony by the September generation of new recruits at the Major Milan Tepiæ barracks in Jakovo yesterday, Šutanovac said that Serbia needed a strong army as a guarantee for the peaceful resolution of problems in Kosovo.
“Serbia is committed to European integration, but Serbia will never surrender its rights in Kosovo. In order to be able to protect our rights in Kosovo using diplomatic means, we have to have a strong and efficient army which is a guarantee for peaceful resolution of the Kosovo problem,” underlined Šutanovac.