Tadić to settle MoD-VS dispute

Angry that the personal spat between the DM and the VS chief has come out in public, Pres. Boris Tadic has called a meeting of the National Security Council. As the feud between Dragan Sutanovac and Zdravko Ponos escalates, the president, in a written statement last night, said that he would “take suitable decisions in due course.“ Tadic to settle MoD-VS dispute He added that the defense system was stable, that the police, army and all security structures were doing their job and that the security situation in the country was under control. Military analyst Aleksandar Radic told B92 that he expected Tadic to personally resolve the situation brought about by the Sutanovac-Ponos feud. He believes there are a number of possible scenarios. “Now the responsibility rests with the commander-in-chief, President Tadic. He’s the one who has to take the decision on whether it’s possible, literally, to compel the defense minister and head of the chiefs-of-staff to bury the hatchet, or he’ll have to decide to let one of them go,“ said Radic. “Their feud has been brewing for some time, though no information on it has been leaked from within the security sector. On the one hand, that’s good, provided that the conflict is resolved without informing the public. Sadly, the damage has already been done,“ the analyst added. He said that it was up to the president to weigh up “how to mend the situation, while doing as little harm to the government and Serbian defense system as possible.“ After yesterday’s cabinet meeting, it was officially announced that in the wake of the media reports, the defense minister had briefed government members on ongoing reforms within the army and ministry, stressing that the security situation in the country was stable. B92 understands that the government did not take any decision on the matter, though a number of ministers that took the floor effectively endorsed Sutanovac. The three main protagonists (Tanjug, archive)

Tadić to settle MoD-VS dispute

He added that the defense system was stable, that the police, army and all security structures were doing their job and that the security situation in the country was under control.

Military analyst Aleksandar Radić told B92 that he expected Tadić to personally resolve the situation brought about by the Šutanovac-Ponoš feud.

He believes there are a number of possible scenarios.

“Now the responsibility rests with the commander-in-chief, President Tadić. He’s the one who has to take the decision on whether it’s possible, literally, to compel the defense minister and head of the chiefs-of-staff to bury the hatchet, or he’ll have to decide to let one of them go,“ said Radić.

“Their feud has been brewing for some time, though no information on it has been leaked from within the security sector. On the one hand, that’s good, provided that the conflict is resolved without informing the public. Sadly, the damage has already been done,“ the analyst added.

He said that it was up to the president to weigh up “how to mend the situation, while doing as little harm to the government and Serbian defense system as possible.“

After yesterday’s cabinet meeting, it was officially announced that in the wake of the media reports, the defense minister had briefed government members on ongoing reforms within the army and ministry, stressing that the security situation in the country was stable.

B92 understands that the government did not take any decision on the matter, though a number of ministers that took the floor effectively endorsed Šutanovac.