MoD: Weapons exports bringing in money

Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said that Serbia could potentially earn up to USD 1bn from its weapons export industry in 2009, daily Blic reports. “We have the best placement of products with traditionally friendly countries from the Near East and North Africa. With these countries we have long-term experience in training and schooling their soldiers at our military academy, so we are also exporting knowledge,” Sutanovac said. MoD: Weapons exports bringing in money Sutanovac added that a professional army should be organized, and military pensioners should be included in the pension fund instead of being paid through the budget of the Defense Ministry. He said that in the last two years, more than 2,000 families were taken care of with the distribution of apartments and the subsidies given for residential loans, adding that another 1,000 families should secure residences this year. “I have no understanding for those who say they are homeless but receive enough contributions to be able to secure themselves a residence. There are those who have been receiving contributions for apartments for many years, and owe the defense system hundreds of thousands of dinars. They are also the loudest when asking for their rights to be respected,” he added. Sutanovac said that the process of making the military a professional one is one of the largest societal reforms in Serbia. “I remember how many people were interested in the possibility of civil service of their military obligations. I deeply believe that this will be the last year in which recruits are called on to serve,” Sutanovac said. “I think that the most important fact is that we have restored the image of the military calling and that citizens once again have great trust in the military,” he added. Dragan Sutanovac (archive)

MoD: Weapons exports bringing in money

Šutanovac added that a professional army should be organized, and military pensioners should be included in the pension fund instead of being paid through the budget of the Defense Ministry.

He said that in the last two years, more than 2,000 families were taken care of with the distribution of apartments and the subsidies given for residential loans, adding that another 1,000 families should secure residences this year.

“I have no understanding for those who say they are homeless but receive enough contributions to be able to secure themselves a residence. There are those who have been receiving contributions for apartments for many years, and owe the defense system hundreds of thousands of dinars. They are also the loudest when asking for their rights to be respected,” he added.

Šutanovac said that the process of making the military a professional one is one of the largest societal reforms in Serbia.

“I remember how many people were interested in the possibility of civil service of their military obligations. I deeply believe that this will be the last year in which recruits are called on to serve,” Šutanovac said.

“I think that the most important fact is that we have restored the image of the military calling and that citizens once again have great trust in the military,” he added.