Kosovo is set to buy Javelin anti-tank missiles from the US in a move which has bothered Belgrade at a time leaders mull compulsory military service in a bid to ensure the survival of President Aleksander Vucic’s “new Serbian world”.
On Thursday, the US State Department announced it had approved the possible sale of 246 missiles and other equipment to Kosovo at a cost of $75 million.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security of the United States by improving the security of a European partner which is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe,” the US State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said.
The news did not go down well with President Aleskander Vucic who was informed by US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill. Media reported he was disappointed by the decision.
Meanwhile, early in January, Vucic asserted that Serbia has one of the strongest armies in the Balkans, noting the “great number” of tanks it got from Russia prior to its invasion of Ukraine. He added he will continue to buy weapons from China and other countries, including fighter planes, drones, and anti-aircraft systems.
Serbia has also made moves towards reinstating compulsory military service. During Christmas, Serbian officials floated the idea of returning to conscription- an idea floated already in 2016, 2018 and 2022, then on January 4, the Defence Ministry formally proposed it to Vucic.
Defence Minister Miloš Vučević said it is not a call to war but an understanding of the current security situation, geopolitical circumstances, and above all, the future of Serbia.
Vučević also noted that if reactivated, it remains unclear whether the military service will last for 100 or 120 days.
“Our proposal is for a maximum of four months, and if the state accepts it. We will ask for some time to prepare barracks and recruitment centres in line with the modern circumstances of life,” said the minister.
“We do not want to return to the times of the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s, but to provide the best possible conditions for these young men, future soldiers, who are the pride of Serbia, to live in the barracks,” Vučević added.
Serbia abolished compulsory military service on 1 January 2011, making it a voluntary choice for individuals.
Critics, however, have said it is a move to distract people from other issues such as the outcome of the 17 December elections, widely criticised for irregularities, non-transparency and non-adherence to democratic standards, the alleged kidnap and torture of an opposition politician, and democratic backsliding in many areas.
(Jelena Jevtić | Euractiv.rs, Alice Taylor | Euractiv.com)
Read more with Euractiv
Crime in Slovenia back up to pre-pandemic levelsSlovenian police dealt with 54,017 criminal offences last year, up more than a tenth over the year before and on a par with pre-pandemic for years, the latest police statistics show.
Source: euractiv.com
