Mojsilovic: Serbia late on reinstating compulsory military service

BELGRADE - Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic said on Tuesday Serbia was late on reinstating compulsory military service and that building defence capabilities was essential.

"Every day and every year of waiting means we are losing generations of young soldiers," Mojsilovic told the RTS.

Speaking about purchases of arms for the Serbian Armed Forces, he said they were based on the army's own needs and that it was irrelevant what countries the arms were bought from.

He noted that the Serbian defence industry must have a dominant role when it comes to supplying the army, rather than just priority over foreign manufacturers.

"That way, you create a kind of independence. We manufacture good ammunition as well as complex combat systems. We have mastered the production of drones and killer drones," Mojsilovic said.

He said an order Serbia had placed for French-made Rafale fighter jets was a "step forward."

"I am pleased to say we have a MiG-29 squadron, a bomber squadron as well as helicopters and combat helicopters. Our air defence units are equipped with medium-range missiles, which we did not have before," Mojsilovic said.