Reception for Serbian Armed Forces Day

This evening, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Miloš Vučević and Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Milan Mojsilović hosted a reception to celebrate 23rd April - Serbian Armed Forces Day in the Guard Club in Topčider.

 

The celebration was attended by Envoy of the President of Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces Secretary General of the President of the Republic Suzana Paunović, members of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, representatives of the National Assembly, SIA and Ministry of the Interior, churches and religious communities, diplomatic and military diplomatic corps in our country, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, representatives from cultural and public spheres and numerous guests.

 

Addressing the gathered, Minister Vučević said that it was honour for him to greet the guests on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, Serbian Armed Forces and on his own behalf on the occasion of Serbian Armed Forces Day.

 

- Continuing more than two centuries long tradition, 23rd April was chosen to be the greatest military holiday in memory of Takovo Uprising, which represents a milestone in modern Serbian history. That day, and Serbian people’s uprising marked the emergence of the military, which will, in the times to follow perform the sacred vow of liberating all our compatriots and other peoples who were under foreign rule. That military of iron discipline and unbreakable spirit represented one of key factors in the achievement of the goal to preserve the national integrity and continuity of the statehood of the Serbian people and its military. Their governing thought was the faith in the liberation of Serbia - Minister Vučević said.

 

According to him, the history teaches us lessons that our people during its tumultuous and glorious history went through. He added that the basis for the preservation of state freedom were strong and well organised armed forces, and statesman wisdom possessed by the great Prince, our Miloš Obrenović.

 

- We have started this year with numerous planned activities and our intention is to become more successful performing them than we were in the previous year. Our very citizens are the proof that we are on the right track, especially the young people who show ever greater interest in our armed forces. In that respect, we will present our citizens with the great demonstration of capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces “Granite 2023”, which is to take place on 22nd April in the airfield “Colonel-Pilot Milenko Pavlović” in Batajnica. In the upcoming period, the Serbian Armed Forces will be faced with important tasks - the implementation of the project to establish special forces 5,000 people strong, the organisation and execution of a large live firing joint-tactical exercise this June, military parade to mark the Day of Victory in the First World War, the participation of members of Serbian Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence in peacekeeping operations and missions, and many other activities performed daily to strengthen the defence system in all aspects - announced Minister Vučević.

 

He underlined that with wholehearted support of the state, headed by the President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces Aleksandar Vučić, the Serbian Armed Forces had been enriched and reinforced by both material and human resources, which had largely contributed to the betterment of the status of their members.

 

- Today, our armed forces possess materiel that was unimaginable until recently, and that process of equipping is continuous. We are restoring the renown in the society that was a feature of our officer, non-commissioned officer and soldier throughout history. Today, our state follows its own path, the path of independence, economic, commercial, technological and overall social recovery and progress, the path of neutrality and the path of peace. It is a path on which we respect all states and peoples, but we respect ourselves as well, and our history, our glory, our ancestors, our heroes, our scientists, our athletes, our people, our children, the children of Serbia. These are our values and our vow to the fatherland and our people - Minister Vučević.

 

The rich tradition that we cherish is the priceless treasure of our country - stated Minister Vučević expressing particular gratitude to the veterans who, with the activities of their associations, together with the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, give immeasurable contribution to the preservation of memory of some past times, not allowing the feats of fallen heroes who are the most sacred example of self-sacrifice and love for the fatherland to fall into oblivion.

 

- Today, we are not ashamed of our heroes, we remember them and we are inspired by their deeds. As a poet said it long time ago - “what would teach chivalry to people if there weren’t their martyrs”. On this day we do not want to forget anyone, we are immensely grateful to anyone who gave his contribution to our armed forces. Our armed forces are our people, our heroes and knights; our armed forces are our fatherland Serbia. We will strengthen and we are strengthening our armed forces, not with an intention to threaten anyone because we have never done that, but to send the message that we know how to protect what is ours. We will protect and keep our Serbia safe, since it is the most noble and sacred task that we as people and as patriots could be assigned - to be at service to the defence of the our fatherland and people - Minister Vučević sent the message.

 

The minister of defence also expressed gratitude for unselfish support of the state bodies, institutions and all individuals and organisations, which had helped the Serbian Armed Forces and still help them.

 

- Serbia, may you celebrate a happy Serbian Armed Forces Day, long live the Serbian Armed Forces, the mainstay of our people, and long live our fatherland Serbia for all eternity! - Minister Vučević exclaimed.

 

The Serbian Armed Forces celebrate 23rd April as their holiday in memory of the day when on Palm Sunday 1815 decision was made to start the Second Serbian Uprising to liberate Serbia from the Ottoman Empire, which subsequently enabled the creation of the modern Serbian state.