Defense Ministry to trim spending

The Defense Ministry has made plans to cut spending in accordance with the economic situation, says Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac. Sutanovac told B92 that he had nothing against pegging back salaries in the ministries, but that he believed that it would achieve little. Defense Ministry to trim spending The Defense Ministry makes about 1,000 trips every day in south Serbia and in the Ground Safety Zone, and that costs a lot. Sutanovac said that it would be risky to skimp here, adding that the ministry would find alternative methods for securing those funds. “We will have to save on fuel, on the awards we have been giving out, on trips, schooling and, especially, expenses. We’re making a comprehensive plan to save and we should point out to everyone that the (finance) minister said last year, when the budget was rebalanced, that our ministry saves the most,” he stressed. Commenting on last week’s NATO summit, he said that a problem existed in Serbia because people equated NATO with the 1999 bombing. He said that this had to change, adding that Serbia was not still not reaping the benefits from its cooperation with the Alliance. “These are not only defense-military issues, but also relate to the sectors of health, ecology and even the economy. That attitude needs to be defined by non-governmental organizations and the media, and a general campaign needs to be launched on whether we should be moving towards integration or not. However, we have yet to even receive an invitation,” the minister said. He added that before any invitation, Serbia needed to open an office, begin multi-lateral cooperation, develop relations, pass all of the eight required laws, and reform the defense system. Dragan Sutanovac (FoNet, archive) MoD: Serbian army best in region Defense Ministry State Secretary Dusan Spasojevic said that according to a Stratfor agency analysis, Serbia's military is the most professional in the region. Stating that Serbia had become one of the last countries in the northern hemisphere to join the Partnership for Peace in 2006, Spasojevic said that the country had yet to clearly define the future direction of its military strategy. The state secretary said that the fact that Croatia and Albania were now in NATO was good for Serbia. “For Serbia, that means that there are NATO member-states on our western and southern borders, and if we look at it in the right way, and I think we will, Serbia will benefit from that, in terms of improving the security situation around it,” Spasojevic said. “What could happen one day is that Albania could, as a fully-fledged member, set conditions for our membership,” he acknowledged.

Defense Ministry to trim spending

The Defense Ministry makes about 1,000 trips every day in south Serbia and in the Ground Safety Zone, and that costs a lot.

Šutanovac said that it would be risky to skimp here, adding that the ministry would find alternative methods for securing those funds.

“We will have to save on fuel, on the awards we have been giving out, on trips, schooling and, especially, expenses. We’re making a comprehensive plan to save and we should point out to everyone that the (finance) minister said last year, when the budget was rebalanced, that our ministry saves the most,” he stressed.

Commenting on last week’s NATO summit, he said that a problem existed in Serbia because people equated NATO with the 1999 bombing.

He said that this had to change, adding that Serbia was not still not reaping the benefits from its cooperation with the Alliance.

“These are not only defense-military issues, but also relate to the sectors of health, ecology and even the economy. That attitude needs to be defined by non-governmental organizations and the media, and a general campaign needs to be launched on whether we should be moving towards integration or not. However, we have yet to even receive an invitation,” the minister said.

He added that before any invitation, Serbia needed to open an office, begin multi-lateral cooperation, develop relations, pass all of the eight required laws, and reform the defense system.

MoD: Serbian army best in region

Defense Ministry State Secretary Dušan Spasojević said that according to a Stratfor agency analysis, Serbia's military is the most professional in the region.

Stating that Serbia had become one of the last countries in the northern hemisphere to join the Partnership for Peace in 2006, Spasojević said that the country had yet to clearly define the future direction of its military strategy.

The state secretary said that the fact that Croatia and Albania were now in NATO was good for Serbia.

“For Serbia, that means that there are NATO member-states on our western and southern borders, and if we look at it in the right way, and I think we will, Serbia will benefit from that, in terms of improving the security situation around it,” Spasojević said.

“What could happen one day is that Albania could, as a fully-fledged member, set conditions for our membership,” he acknowledged.