Minister Vučević attends oath-taking ceremony in Valjevo

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Miloš Vučević attended today the oath-taking ceremony at “Vojvoda Živojin Mišić” barracks in Valjevo. The oath was taken by soldiers who have applied for voluntary military service and Reserve Officer Course candidates (class of March 2024).



Minister Vučević congratulated the soldiers and reserve officer candidates on taking the oath and welcomed them to the ranks of all those who had sworn to protect and defend their country - Serbia. The minister of defence also congratulated the parents for raising their sons and daughters to love their country, their families, their people and to be ready to protect all our values.
 
- Our country has been through some harder and easier times, there were periods when we lost, but then we recovered and won. But in both good and bad times, we have valued freedom above all else. And freedom has always been won and protected by our people and our army, which is the people's army. It came from the people and is an inseparable part of it. Whoever tried to stop it, did not succeed - Minister Vučević said.



He commended the soldiers and future reserve officers for deciding, in these difficult times, not only for Serbia, but for the whole world, to say loudly and clearly that they stand with their country.

- As of today, you are braver, bolder and more mature. I believe that future generations will be motivated by you. We have decided to be a neutral country, not to belong to any alliance or bloc. That is not easy, it is not simple to remain neutral. And that is why our entire nation, all citizens of Serbia are obliged to protect our country. And in order to protect it, we must have a strong military. We do not need it to wage wars, but to preserve our peace and freedom. That is why we will continue to invest in the defence of our homeland, to buy the best weapons, to make sure that our military have the best equipment, the best uniforms, the best training possible and that barracks throughout Serbia are filled with more and more soldiers every year. We will make sure that the Serbian flag flies proudly everywhere, that the oath uttered by the new soldiers, who have made a sacred promise to our motherland Serbia, is heard everywhere - said the minister of defence and expressed his hope that the soldiers and future reserve officers would protect themselves and Serbia.



According to him, dynamic training awaits them in the next few months and once it is over, only fond memories and eternal friendships will remain, which no one can take away from them.
 
- It cannot be described mathematically or materially. There are some things that are intransient. I extend my best wishes to your families, who have come from all over Serbia, and I am sure from Republika Srpska and Kosovo and Metohija. I wish you a safe journey back home, spend some time with your loved ones, and then, at the beginning of next week you can start doing what you have sworn to do - to be real, defensive, victorious and heroic Serbian soldiers! Long live the Serbian Armed Forces! Long live Serbia - said Minister Vučević.



The ceremony was attended by Deputy Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff Lt. Gen. Želimir Glišović, Deputy Commander of the Training Command Brig. Gen. Jovica Matić, Rector of the Defence University Brig. Gen. Prof. Boban Đorović, Head of Office of the Minister of Defence Brig. Gen. Goran Momčilović, Head of the Human Resources Department (J-1) of the General Staff Brig. Gen. Savo Iriškić, representatives of the National Assembly, the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, local self-government, the Ministry of the Interior, religious communities, families and friends of the soldiers and future reserve officers. The commander of today's ceremony was Col. Saša Stojiljković, commander of the Second Training Centre in Valjevo.
 
Nemanja Marković from Arilje has applied for voluntary military service for patriotic reasons, but also in hope of finding employment.



- I hope to make many new friends, to persevere in what I have started and to gain new experience. I believe that all young people should do military service - said Marković.
 
Dušan Petrović from Blace has applied for the Reserve Officer Course, because he has graduated from the Faculty of Security Studies in Belgrade.



- I hope to make many good friends and acquire great knowledge and experience. I hope to do well in the course. I would recommend young people to sign up and experience how challenging and beautiful everything is - said Petrović.