“We are considering re-introducing mandatory military service” said Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia said at the ceremony marking the arrival of two new MIG fighter jets from Russia.
This could happen in about three years, but this depends on several factors, including finances, said Vucic to the press at Batajnica military airport.
He pointed out that mandatory military service would help the country “to act preventively on anyone who might endanger its safety”.
According to Vucic, the plan is for the service to last from three to six months. He added that the people who completed their service would have the priority to finding a job in state and public institutions.
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Vucic also said he was not afraid of a media campaign that might be launched against him because of that decision. He pointed out that he had been criticized last year by certain media because the country didn’t have a one-year mandatory military service and now when he was considering three-month military service they were accusing him of leading the country into war.
He added he was not worried about how much support he was getting about regarding the Kosovo issue, stating that he didn’t have support of non-governmental organizations, political opponents and most of the clergy.
After the formal introduction of two MIG-29 fighter jets at the Batajnica airport he invited young people to enroll in military schools and institutes in bigger numbers because they would get an opportunity to create a better future and better life for themselves.
Talking about the Serbian armed forces weapons arsenal and country’s combat readiness, Vucic said that it couldn’t be compared to the previous period, adding that the difference was huge.
He reminded that the Serbian Army received these aircraft from Russia, and that their overhaul and upgrade was paid by and carried out in Serbia.
At the Batajnica airport, he saw six more fighter jets that the Russian and Serbian experts were working on. Eight of the fighter jets will be used in a military parade in early November in Belgrade for the first time.
(B92, 21.08.2018)
https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2018&mm=08&dd=21&nav_category=11&nav_id=1433427
Photo credits: Tanjug / Rade Prelic
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