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Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic told RTS that the defense strategy between 2004 and 2012 was towards the integration of the army into NATO and that it was reduced to a fifth of its previous size.
Noting that although they are militarily neutral, both Switzerland and Austria accept conscripts for regular military service.
“Serbia is on the path of military neutrality, which requires a strong army that must also deal with the protection of the civilian population and other operations that do not necessarily require weapons,” emphasizes Stefanovic.
According to him, when we did not have a strong army in history, civilians suffered much more.
Retired Lieutenant General Milomir Miladinović stresses that for the war component to be fulfilled, regular military service is required, which would be built in the next five to ten years. He believes that Serbia’s security challenges are much greater than, for example. They have Denmark and Finland who have regular military service.
He emphasizes that very few training positions are now being filled, because, according to him, 500,000 reservists have been lost in ten years, which must be filled by some people.
As he pointed out, every second $ 50 billion is spent on defense in the world.
Ignjatijevic: Mass Recruitment Will Not Solve Mass Departure of Staff
On the other hand, the researcher at the Belgrade Security Policy Center, Marija Ignjatijevic, believes that a return from regular military service is not necessary, as, as she says, Serbia does not face security challenges that require mass recruitment.
As another reason, he affirms that the usual deadline does not solve the problem of the departure of personnel. The recruits could not replace the professionals who left because they have specialized and trained within the army for years (computer scientists, oil workers, doctors), according to Ignjatijevic.
On the statements made, Stefanović returns to the example of Switzerland, which, as he points out, is certainly not in any immediate danger, and who does not want to serve, pays a tax of three percent of total personal income. “If the country is in immediate danger, it can only trust its own people,” Stefanovic said.
It points out that the introduction of regular military service does not abolish professional personnel. He also cites the example of Germany, where the return from regular military service is currently being debated in the Bundestag.
Stefanović adds that army professionals need to say what the army’s needs are, how they see it in the future, what role the recruiting army should play, how many new ones we need, and what the modernization of existing barracks should look like. .
“We are considering if we will have enough money for that, and the recruits would have a salary that would not be symbolic. Those who go through the service of the term feel that they have given something to their country and would acquire skills that would be useful in civil life, such as driving. a truck.
Those who have medical professions can serve in the Military Medical Academy and that can be counted in my internship, “says Stefanović.
Instead of the usual deadline, Ignjatijevic proposes the concept of active reserve that goes hand in hand with the professional composition of the army. As he explained, those who decided on this possibility would sign a contract with the obligation of 45 days of annual service in the army.
Minister: There are no obstacles for the citizens of Kosovo and Metohija to serve in the military
Stefanović stated that there is no obstacle for the citizens of Kosovo and Metohija who want to fulfill their military service.
“They have the right to serve in military service. It may not be realistic to discuss today the training that would take place in the territory of our province, but there is no obstacle for them to be called up for military service in the territory of central Serbia. “The fact that Kosovo and Metohija are part of Serbia is not undermined, but we also respect international regulations, as there are things that we must understand as reality,” Stefanovic said.
He says that what happened to Serbia has become much more powerful economically.
That’s why the soldiers’ salaries are going to go up.
“Besides that, we want to keep people in the army,” says Stefanović.
General Miladinović affirms that the economic moment is important and that is why there is no answer for professional soldiers in urban areas, that is, contract soldiers.
The problem, he adds, with professional soldiers is to regulate that certain occupations of people remain until the end of military service.
