MoD head authorized to put army on full alert, if needed

MoD head authorized to put army on full alert, if needed

He explained that today's decision means the defense minister can, in the absence of the president, decide on deploying the army in case the police are unable to maintain order and peace on the country's borders.

"State organs, security service will have enough time, space and capacity to respond to any security challenge and protect the state order and citizens," said Selakovic.

Safety of citizens and property has absolute priority and all organs have an obligation to work to protect them, he said.

The Council meeting on Thursday was also attended by PM Aleksandar Vucic, Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, acting Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic, and heads of military and security services.

Speaking earlier in the day for state broadcaster RTS, Nebojsa Stefanovic announced that the session will be held, and spoke about the situation with the refugees and the measures Serbia was taking.

According to him, there are 1,800 migrants in Serbian territory "at this time."

A potential engagement of the Serbian Army on the borders falls under the constitutional authority of the president, Stefanovic told the RTS, noting that the Council is expected to adopt decisions that will put security services on heightened alert.

"This does not mean that the Serbian Armed Forces will be sent to the borders because we are controlling everything well with existing forces, but it is always good for a country to have all capabilities ready to react. Should those people start rushing towards Serbia across various places, it would present a risk to us, and we do not want to allow that to happen," Stefanovic said, stressing that "our forces are ready for that scenario."

Asked whether a buffer zone could be created in Serbia, where migrants would not be able to move "either forward or backward," the minister replied that "this can't happen."

He reiterated the country would "continue to behave responsibly, and apply the same measures as other countries on the migrant route."

According to Stefanovic, the profiling of migrants and refugees is "the essential problem." He added that "Serbia wants an agreement to be reached about the location of the center for profiling."