Defense establishment dispute debated

The parliamentary Defense and Security Committee met on Thursday in Belgrade to discuss the latest developments in the country's defense establishment. The committee decided to request a report on the state of Serbia's defense and security system from the government. Defense establishment dispute debated The session was scheduled by Committee Chairman Dragan Todorovic, SRS, in response to the public clash between Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac and VS Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Zdravko Ponos. Ponos appeared and spoke at the session, but Sutanovac was not in attendance because, as his ministry told B92, "he was not invited by the committee, but by Todorovic". Ponos said that the security of the country is not at risk, that the defense system is functional and that the principles of subordination are respected. The general also told the committee that he stands by everything he has said in the media regarding the irregularities in building the defense system, but that he does not wish these issues to be abused for political reasons. “This is not my personal war with Dragan Sutanovac. The Serbian army is neither mine nor his, nor yours,” Ponos told the committee, adding that the citizens have the right to know whether Serbia will be secure in 2010 and 2015. The Serbian Army chief-of-staff said that it is his obligation to point out to things that are not right, because he himself is responsible for a part of the security system. The civilian military control, he noted, “is not a sacred cow”, and can make mistakes. On the other hand, Ponos commended the ministry for increase military wages and initial work on solving housing issues, but said that he is not sure that the state has a clear vision for implementing the professionalization of the army. Ponos also said he is uncertain how the decision on the country's military neutrality "affects that process". He once against called on all strategic and doctrinal military documents to be adopted immediately, because that is “an important job, regardless of who is the chief of staff and who is the defense minister”. Ponos said that he will respect the subordination principle and that he will accept any decision concerning his own career. Earlier today, Todorovic revealed that the conflict between Ponos and Sutanovac would be the only item on the agenda. This high ranking opposition Serb Radical Party (SRS) official also said that Ponos must be sacked because he chose to discuss his differences with Sutovac in the media. "It is now obvious that the army is under somebody else's control, and not under that of the ministry, in other words, that it is not under parliamentary, civilian control. And that cannot be resolved in any other way but with the chief-of-staff's dismissal, since what he has done is utterly inappropriate. These moves can be interpreted as [a possibility] that we will at some point be faced with tanks in the streets, with the military taking over the government and suspending the Constitution," said Todorovic. Todorovic, right, and Ponos, center, are seen during today's session (Tanjug) "General, minister could still reconcile" Military analyst Zoran Dragisic does not expect personnel changes in the aftermath of the conflict between the chief of staff and the defense minister. Dragisic said on Wednesday that it is not good for the military that the conflict culminated in the media. He said that experts have been talking about the friction for some time, but does not believe that any serious changes in staff will be made. “These are decisions that the president will have to make, as the commander in chief of the defense forces, but I think that there is still a chance to find some kind of agreement and for both sides to continue doing their jobs,” Dragisic said. “Various comments were heard that this is some kind of state crisis, that the military has spun out of civil control, which are all strong assumptions. None of that holds true, the system is functioning completely normally now. The army is performing its regular duties,” Dragisic said. He added that the accusations of Serbian Army (VS) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Zdravko Ponos on the account of Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac should be taken seriously because Serbia "really does not have a defense and national security strategy". However, Dragisic said that the document is being worked on actively and that the ministry held a public debate on Wednesday. “It is hard to function without key documents. However, the security of the country has not been jeopardized by this yet. Laws exist, and work is being done according to those laws,” he said. “However, laws are something that confirm the current situation, and the strategies define goals. I think that reforms are hard to implement without strategic documents,” Dragisic said. General Ponos is a symbol of reforms in the army, and Sutanovac is a senior Democratic Party official, the most powerful party in the country, therefore, the most responsible for national security, Dragisic said, adding that there would be problems if either were replaced now. The conflict became apparent recently when Ponos failed show up at a ministry reception. Several days later, he told daily Politika in a strongly-worded interview that there the defense policy of Serbia was non-existent, accusing the MoD of not having any concept for military reforms. The ministry for its part stated that Ponos’s actions have "damaged the image of the army and state as a whole". President Boris Tadic said that it is "always possible for senior officials to have opposing opinions", while Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic told B92 that Ponos’s allegations are not true and that defense policy exists, adding that he "does not want to get involved in the conflict".

Defense establishment dispute debated

The session was scheduled by Committee Chairman Dragan Todorović, SRS, in response to the public clash between Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac and VS Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Zdravko Ponoš.

Ponoš appeared and spoke at the session, but Šutanovac was not in attendance because, as his ministry told B92, "he was not invited by the committee, but by Todorović".

Ponoš said that the security of the country is not at risk, that the defense system is functional and that the principles of subordination are respected.

The general also told the committee that he stands by everything he has said in the media regarding the irregularities in building the defense system, but that he does not wish these issues to be abused for political reasons.

“This is not my personal war with Dragan Šutanovac. The Serbian army is neither mine nor his, nor yours,” Ponoš told the committee, adding that the citizens have the right to know whether Serbia will be secure in 2010 and 2015.

The Serbian Army chief-of-staff said that it is his obligation to point out to things that are not right, because he himself is responsible for a part of the security system. The civilian military control, he noted, “is not a sacred cow”, and can make mistakes.

On the other hand, Ponoš commended the ministry for increase military wages and initial work on solving housing issues, but said that he is not sure that the state has a clear vision for implementing the professionalization of the army.

Ponoš also said he is uncertain how the decision on the country's military neutrality "affects that process".

He once against called on all strategic and doctrinal military documents to be adopted immediately, because that is “an important job, regardless of who is the chief of staff and who is the defense minister”.

Ponoš said that he will respect the subordination principle and that he will accept any decision concerning his own career.

Earlier today, Todorović revealed that the conflict between Ponoš and Šutanovac would be the only item on the agenda. This high ranking opposition Serb Radical Party (SRS) official also said that Ponoš must be sacked because he chose to discuss his differences with Šutovac in the media.

"It is now obvious that the army is under somebody else's control, and not under that of the ministry, in other words, that it is not under parliamentary, civilian control. And that cannot be resolved in any other way but with the chief-of-staff's dismissal, since what he has done is utterly inappropriate. These moves can be interpreted as [a possibility] that we will at some point be faced with tanks in the streets, with the military taking over the government and suspending the Constitution," said Todorović.

"General, minister could still reconcile"

Military analyst Zoran Dragišić does not expect personnel changes in the aftermath of the conflict between the chief of staff and the defense minister.

Dragišić said on Wednesday that it is not good for the military that the conflict culminated in the media. He said that experts have been talking about the friction for some time, but does not believe that any serious changes in staff will be made.

“These are decisions that the president will have to make, as the commander in chief of the defense forces, but I think that there is still a chance to find some kind of agreement and for both sides to continue doing their jobs,” Dragišić said.

“Various comments were heard that this is some kind of state crisis, that the military has spun out of civil control, which are all strong assumptions. None of that holds true, the system is functioning completely normally now. The army is performing its regular duties,” Dragišić said.

He added that the accusations of Serbian Army (VS) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Zdravko Ponoš on the account of Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac should be taken seriously because Serbia "really does not have a defense and national security strategy".

However, Dragišić said that the document is being worked on actively and that the ministry held a public debate on Wednesday.

“It is hard to function without key documents. However, the security of the country has not been jeopardized by this yet. Laws exist, and work is being done according to those laws,” he said.

“However, laws are something that confirm the current situation, and the strategies define goals. I think that reforms are hard to implement without strategic documents,” Dragišić said.

General Ponoš is a symbol of reforms in the army, and Šutanovac is a senior Democratic Party official, the most powerful party in the country, therefore, the most responsible for national security, Dragišić said, adding that there would be problems if either were replaced now.

The conflict became apparent recently when Ponoš failed show up at a ministry reception. Several days later, he told daily Politika in a strongly-worded interview that there the defense policy of Serbia was non-existent, accusing the MoD of not having any concept for military reforms.

The ministry for its part stated that Ponoš’s actions have "damaged the image of the army and state as a whole".

President Boris Tadić said that it is "always possible for senior officials to have opposing opinions", while Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković told B92 that Ponoš’s allegations are not true and that defense policy exists, adding that he "does not want to get involved in the conflict".