Brnabic: BIA one of pillars supporting Serbia

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker and Acting President of the Republic Ana Brnabic said on Friday the Security Information Agency (BIA) was one of the pillars supporting the state, the Republic of Serbia.

At a ceremony that marked the BIA Day, Brnabic thanked the BIA personnel for the years of their continued and hard work in spite of various forms of criticism and vast amounts of time spent away from their families to enable Serbian citizens to live safely and peacefully.

"You are the proof that this difficult and responsible work should not be done for praise and glory, but for the deep feeling of patriotism and love for one's state and nation, and for the awareness that the future and prosperity of us all depends, above all, on the security and stability of our state," Brnabic said.

She said BIA operatives who had sacrificed their lives for the security of Serbia had been ready to put their country's interests before their own.

To their families, we owe special gratitude, and to them, we owe that they may never be forgotten, she noted.

In a country with ongoing conflicts, divisions, instability and security problems, there is no economic development, investments, construction projects, improved living standards, salary and pension increases or care for the people, Brnabic said.

That is exactly the scenario some have planned for Serbia, she said, adding that everyone was familiar with the scope of brutal instrumentalisation of the Novi Sad railway station tragedy, which she noted had been used by some political entities within the country and their mentors abroad to attempt to carry out a coloured revolution and completely destabilise Serbia.

"Through the engagement of your agency, among others, as well as of top state officials led by Aleksandar Vucic, a two-time president of the Republic of Serbia, that threat has been identified and largely suppressed," she said.

Brnabic said the BIA's contribution to the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, the security of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and protection of their interests was exceptionally important.

She also highlighted the agency's contribution to preventing the effects of various security challenges and threats from spilling over into Serbia, as well as its active contribution to preserving the energy security and economic security of Serbia.