Stefanović: Those who mind the Serbian soldier, do not desire a strong Serbia

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović PhD stated in the House of National Assembly today that all those who minded the Serbian soldier, his equipment, arms and standard, did not desire our country to grow stronger and did not wished it well. As he said “they do not wish for a Serbia which is free to independently make decisions exclusively in the interest of its own people, paying attention to its national interests”.



Today, Minister Stefanović and Chief of General Staff of Serbian Armed Forces General Milan Mojsilović attended the ceremony to mark the completion of professional advancement of attenders of the 10th Class of the Advanced Security and Defence Studies and of the 64th Class of General Staff Course of the National Defence School that took place in the House of National Assembly. The ceremony was also attended by President of the National Assembly Ivica Dačić, ministers in the Government, representatives of religious communities and diplomatic corps, academic community, families and friends of the attenders.

“Today, Serbia has got 51 fighters capable of tackling the difficulties with which every state faces in the modern security environment. The people, present with us here, on this day, have successfully completed professional advancement and acquired necessary knowledge for strategic arriving at the responses that Serbia will give to contemporary challenges and threats. It is upon them to implement that knowledge in their future work and achieve as good results as possible, giving their personal contribution and coming up with new innovative solutions, in our further struggle for secure and successful Serbia” Stefanović said addressing the attenders.
He reminded that Serbian military had always knew to put to use its best lecturers, to use their knowledge to defend the fatherland and to show that it was precisely they, who had trained our students and future commanding officers, that were the fearless, capable and unique war leaders who went down in the world history of military victories.

“It just so happened that Field Marshals Radomir Putnik and Živojin Mišić lectured on strategy at the Military Academy, and it is needles to remind of how great their contribution was to the glorious victories of the Serbian army in the First World War. You have acquired your knowledge in the School of our Military Academy which bears the name of academician and general Jovan Mišković, who was believed to be the most educated officer of his time. Apart from also being the President of the Serbian Royal Academy, General Mišković commanded Drina Division which participated in the battle on Slivnica, and he was the Chief of Supreme General Staff” the minister said.



As he added, they are but the most famous of the officers of our armed forces, who had selflessly given their knowledge to younger generations, and they had selflessly put it together with their lives at disposal to their fatherland, their only Serbia, whenever it was needed.

“It is exactly why you, who had the opportunity to attend the professional advancements, the most significant ones offered by our Ministry today, have to put your knowledge at service of the citizens of our country and show that Serbia can count on your dedication. The citizens primarily expect from you to always act in your work protecting their interests and protecting our Serbia. And, is there more important interests for all people than peace and security? Both the history, and the modern world with all its challenges, clearly show that there is nothing more important” the minister of defence stated.

As he underlined, without peace and security, there cannot be investments, or new working places, roads, hospitals, schools, higher salaries, pensions, there cannot be our history, or culture, or the life which we desire for our children.

“That is why, investments in the Serbian Armed Forces, and in the overall security system, are never expenditures. They are investments into the overall development of our country and they are investments into the security and safety of our people. Without strong armed forces, there cannot be strong Serbia. All those who mind the Serbian soldier, his equipment, his arms and standard, do not desire that our country to grow stronger and they do not wish it well. They do not wish for a Serbia which is free to independently make decisions exclusively in the interest of its own people, paying attention to its national interests” Stefanović sent the message.

He congratulated the attenders and their families on the completion of the professional advancement and wished them to apply the knowledge acquired to their work, and to earn confidence and gratitude of our people fatefully serving Serbia in the times to come.

“I particularly wish to greet the officers from foreign armed forces, who have, by coming here for the advancement in the Republic of Serbia and by placing trust to our military education, confirmed, in a specific way, the friendship between the countries they come from and our country. Your presence is a confirmation that the Republic of Serbia and its armed forces enjoy a great reputation in the world” Stefanović said.



To the attenders of the 10th ASDS Class, Minister Stefanović conferred replicas of medieval Serbia sword, while three best ranking officers of the 64th GSC Class received sabres from Chief of General Staff of Serbian Armed Forces General Milan Mojsilović.

The most successful in the class were Lieutenant Colonel Vladan Parezanović, then Lieutenant Colonel Miroslav Veselinović, and the third ranking was Lieutenant Colonel Miljan Milikić.

- This is not the end of our professional advancement, and we need to apply everything that we have learned all over again in life and practice, because we protect the thing that is the most important, and that is the freedom of our people and our citizens. As Field Marshal Živojin Mišić said, the military is the anchor of every state, while the anchor of every military are its officers – said Lieutenant Colonel Parezanović addressing the audience on behalf of all attenders.

Expressing gratitude to the families for their unconditional support, and the professors for the knowledge and experiences shared, Lieutenant Colonel Parezanović stated that he and his colleagues would try to be worthy successors of the heroes of Cer, Kolubara, Mojkovac, Kajmakčalan and Košare, who would build a bright and safe future for the generations to come, and who would be there to appropriately respond to every challenge, risk and threat to the security of our country.



- Though continuation of procurement of the state-of-the-art arms and military equipment, betterment of the living standard of Serbian Armed Forces members, and education of cadre capable of assuming responsibility, making right decisions and of fully implementing them, the Serbian Armed Forces make steadfast steps forward, with our entire society to follow – Lieutenant Colonel Parezanović stated.

This year, the General Staff Course was completed by 34 officers from the country and abroad: 29 from the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, three officers from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one from the Ministry of Defence from the Federal Republic of Germany and one from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.

The Advanced Security and Defence Studies were completed by 17 attenders, seven of them from the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, nine from other state institutions, while one attender came from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.