"Compulsory service abolishment army's biggest success"

Serbian Army (VS) Chief of Staff Lt.Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic has said that abolishment of compulsory military service was one of the army's "greatest successes". Speaking for B92 TV late on Monday, Dikovic noted that the process, referred to as "the professionalization", left the possibility of voluntary service, and said there was "great interest in that". "Compulsory service abolishment army's biggest success" He stressed that when it came to reforms in the military "much needs to be done", and explained the focus was now providing it with adequate equipment. Commenting on the possibility of Serbia joining NATO, the general said he was "not in favor of isolation": "If you wish to follow modern trends, you must go where things are happening. Whether Serbia will join NATO is a political question. NATO started out as a military alliance, but it's today a political, and even an economic organization." Dikovic, who spoke as Serbia marked Army Day, also commented on "the occasional appearance of the members of the Kosovo Security Forces" along the administrative line between central Serbia and Kosovo. “This is not acceptable for us and does not contribute to security,” he stated, noting that under UN Security Council Resolution 1244, KFOR was the supreme authority in the Ground Safety Zone (GSZ). Under the document, only members of KFOR and the VS may appear in the GSZ, he said. The VS has good cooperation with KFOR, which also respond to any instances not in line with the resolution and threatening security, he said. “These are professionals who also monitor the situation and respond to everything just like us (the VS),” said the VS chief of staff. The VS has about 300 joint activities with KFOR forces every year, and we also hold monthly meetings, he said. “Our cooperation is correct and fully dedicated to operational security,” said Dikovic, but added that KFOR “has an output strategy” under which it wants to “empower certain forces” in Kosovo, he said. Dikovic pointed out that members of the VS had not caused any incident, nor anything that might negatively affect the situation in the GSZ. Commenting on the situation in Macedonia, he said that events in Macedonia were the country's internal matter and that he hoped that the Macedonian authorities would be able to solve the case of the recent murder of five men near Skopje, which resulted in increased tensions between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians. Dikovic, however, added that the VS and the security forces were capable of completely preventing any possible spillover of terrorism from the territory of Macedonia to Serbia. Ljubisa Dikovic (Tanjug) B92 Tanjug

"Compulsory service abolishment army's biggest success"

He stressed that when it came to reforms in the military "much needs to be done", and explained the focus was now providing it with adequate equipment.

Commenting on the possibility of Serbia joining NATO, the general said he was "not in favor of isolation":

"If you wish to follow modern trends, you must go where things are happening. Whether Serbia will join NATO is a political question. NATO started out as a military alliance, but it's today a political, and even an economic organization."

Diković, who spoke as Serbia marked Army Day, also commented on "the occasional appearance of the members of the Kosovo Security Forces" along the administrative line between central Serbia and Kosovo.

“This is not acceptable for us and does not contribute to security,” he stated, noting that under UN Security Council Resolution 1244, KFOR was the supreme authority in the Ground Safety Zone (GSZ).

Under the document, only members of KFOR and the VS may appear in the GSZ, he said.

The VS has good cooperation with KFOR, which also respond to any instances not in line with the resolution and threatening security, he said.

“These are professionals who also monitor the situation and respond to everything just like us (the VS),” said the VS chief of staff.

The VS has about 300 joint activities with KFOR forces every year, and we also hold monthly meetings, he said.

“Our cooperation is correct and fully dedicated to operational security,” said Diković, but added that KFOR “has an output strategy” under which it wants to “empower certain forces” in Kosovo, he said.

Diković pointed out that members of the VS had not caused any incident, nor anything that might negatively affect the situation in the GSZ.

Commenting on the situation in Macedonia, he said that events in Macedonia were the country's internal matter and that he hoped that the Macedonian authorities would be able to solve the case of the recent murder of five men near Skopje, which resulted in increased tensions between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians.

Diković, however, added that the VS and the security forces were capable of completely preventing any possible spillover of terrorism from the territory of Macedonia to Serbia.