Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said that Serbia will work on expanding and modernizing its defense industry factories in order to meet the demand in foreign markets.

“Every day now we are expecting the confirmation of a one billion US dollars arrangement which will cover the defense industry export transactions during my mandate,” Sutanovac said after a joint visit with U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick to the village of Pranjani in central Serbia.

Sutanovac pointed out that the arrangement is not only related to Serbia’s defense industry sector, but also to a wider range of differently profiled companies.

“I believe that this year’s budget will be enough for expanding and modernizing the defense industry capacities, thus making the production faster and more secure,” Sutanovac said.

Sutanovac noted that Serbia’s defense industry is currently the biggest exporter of armament and military equipment in Southeastern Europe.

The Minister announced that the Kovacica plant in Valjevo, in central Serbia, which was remade into a completely new factory, will be opened soon, and added that other defense industry factories are planned to be expanded as well.

According to Sutanovac, there are plans to expand factories out of the scope of the defense industry, but partly related to the military programs of the Krusevac-based manufacturer of machines and components IMK “14. oktobar” and the Trstenik-based industry of hydraulics and pneumatics Prva Petoletka.

Sutanovac stressed that citizens whose family members work in the defense industry will no longer have to worry about survival, because there will be plenty of work in the sector in 2011.

Warlick and Sutanovac were in Pranjani to open up an elementary school named after Nobel winner Ivo Andric.

U.S. Embassy donated $700,000 for the reconstruction of that school.

In 1944 Serbian freedom fighters, the Chetniks, saved more than 520 American airmen in Pranjani. Inhabitants of that village helped in the rescue mission that is known as the Halyard operation.

The Halyard operation from summer 1944 is considered one of the most successful rescue missions carried out behind enemy lines in wartime history.

Warlick observed that this donation represents the end and the crown of a project of cooperation and assistance, which also includes reconstruction of the health community center in Pranjani.

October 7, 2010
Tanjug
SERBIANNA

• A Permanent Economic Emergency