Vucevic: Serbia will respond appropriately to the military agreement between Turkey and Kosovo

Minister of Defense Milos Vucevic stated that the Republic of Serbia would have an adequate response to the signing of the military agreement between Turkey and Kosovo.

Vucevic, responding to journalists' questions at the Topcider barracks where President Aleksandar Vucic attended a display of the Serbian Armed Forces' military equipment, said that the agreement represented a continuation of cooperation between Turkey and Kosovo.

"The NATO alliance does not cooperate institutionally with the so-called Kosovo Security Forces, does not participate as an alliance in the transformation of what they call the Kosovo Security Forces into the Kosovo Armed Forces, which is actually contrary even to their constitution of the so-called Kosovo. However, some member countries are strong contributors to that process, and Turkey is, I would say, perhaps a leader in this regard," Vucevic emphasized.

The minister stated that "we are concerned and closely monitoring what is happening".

"We see that some new fields of their, as they say, bilateral cooperation is now opening up, and the Serbian Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defense, and the Republic of Serbia will have an adequate response, not only politically but, of course, we will also adapt our capacities to all challenges, risks, and even dangers to our homeland. Because the question arises - for whom and for what is the so-called Kosovo army arming itself, another Albanian army de facto when you look at the ethnic composition. For whom and why are they arming themselves so much and why are they importing, donating, or selling all these assets, contrary to the military-technical agreement, contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which is a direct violation of all norms of international public law," Vucevic said.

He recalled that President Vucic said that this was the unfortunate reality surrounding us, and we must act accordingly.

"This does not mean some compromise or simply accepting it, but living with such circumstances and taking adequate countermeasures or adequate responses to it. Everyone is arming themselves in the region, and the Albanians in Kosovo are certainly not lagging behind or trying not to fall behind. They are doing a lot to improve their personnel, and train their officers, and warrant officers, and discussions are taking place in Pristina about mandatory military service. Simply put, the situation is more complicated today, and sometimes I get the impression that Serbia is the most interested in peace in this region," Vucevic stated.

The world is divided on the issue of Kosovo

Defense Minister Milos Vucevic stated that Serbia seriously considered which processes it would initiate before international institutions because it would only do so for those it considered beneficial.

"You have to consider who you are addressing and what the structure is, given that the world is divided on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. It is a form of political struggle, and as for the Ministry of Defense, we are preparing an adequate response that ensures the security of all citizens of Serbia, and it is up to others to provide political solutions better than what we are preparing. We hope for and live for peace, but we must have a ready response if someone attacks us," Vucevic said.

He added that this was also a response to the arming of Kosovo by Turkey and the USA, who were also sponsors of Kosovo's independence.

"I ask why they are arming themselves, whether it's because of Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia. I think we all know the answer," Vucevic said.

He also said that it was more difficult for Serbia to arm itself because we were militarily neutral.

"Today, this is not an advantage but something that major powers don't want to hear, but we manage to procure what we need," the minister said.

He also states that during the presentation of the Serbian Armed Forces' weaponry, they never show everything that the Serbian Armed Forces possess.

"I am proud that we all unanimously agreed that mandatory military service must be reinstated, in some other dimensions, primarily in terms of time. We are not preparing for any conflicts or wars, Serbia urgently needs peace, but we want to have a stronger army, and without mandatory military service, we cannot fill all our formations and units," Vucevic emphasized.

After the meeting where the results of the analysis of the operational and functional capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces for the year 2023 were presented, attended by President Aleksandar Vucic, the Defense Minister stated that the goals for 2024 were even more ambitious.

"We paid attention to things that are challenging for us, which we need to improve. I am satisfied with what the members of the Serbian Armed Forces have achieved in 2023," Vucevic said.

As he said, the Serbian Armed Forces had many tasks ahead.

"I believe that the Serbian Armed Forces will be a source of pride for all citizens, a guarantor of security and the preservation of sovereignty and independence, and the most powerful deterrent factor for all those who are not well-intentioned towards Serbia," Vucevic said.