Тhe Day of the Military Intelligence Agency marked
01. 03. 2017
The official reception marking the Day of the Military Intelligence Agency (MIA) was held at the Great Hall of the Guard House in Topcider. The event was attended by the Secretary General of the President of the Republic of Serbia Nedeljko Tenjovic, envoy of the president Milorad Simic, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Nenad Neric, Assistant of the Defence Minister Radmila Jagodic, representatives of the Ministry of the Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, diplomatic corps, religious communities as well as numerous guests.
The Day of the MIA -5th March-is celebrated in remembrance of the same date in 1884 when the Foreign Section within Operational Department of the Main General Staff was formed, which was the first time that the military intelligence activities were institutionally established in the modern Serbian state.
On the occasion of the tragic event that took place on 28 February, 2017 in Technical Repair Depot in Kragujevac in which Lieutenant Colonel Miroslav Perisic lost his life, the Deputy Director Colonel Zoran Stojkovic begging his speech, invited those present to pay their respect with a minute of silence to tragically killed colleague who gave his life while honorably preforming his duty. He has also stressed that thoughts of the all present are with the families of missing colleagues Captain Darko Kostic and civilians Dejan Kovacevic and Zeljko Nikolic and he wished speedy and successful recovery to all colleagues injured in the tragic event in Kragujevac.
In the continuance of his addressing, the Deputy Director of MIA Zoran Stojkovic has said that all the members of the service, during all 133 years of its existence, were trying to keep pace with civilization and social trends and contribute to the development of military doctrine. He emphasized that the members of the service have contributed to the survival of our people and made immeasurable contribution to the success of glorious Serbian Army.
“The only thing that has not changed for all these years is our mission. In the past as well as today MIA has been responsible for detection of the processes and events in the surroundings which pose a potential threat to the security of the Republic of Serbia with an aim of informing timely the state and military leadership with a purpose to prevent endangering of our security and defence interests”, highlighted Colonel Stojkovic.
In this context, he emphasized that “Agency also monitors hot spots worldwide on daily basis with the focus on those regions wherein the members of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces are engaged within multinational operations”. Colonel Stojkovic has added that devoted work of the Agency is undoubtedly contributed by the professional harmony among the Agency’s personnel which is composed of more and more young people, both males and females, as well as of the experienced members.
MIA’s Deputy Director has assessed that “the future of the Republic of Serbia will certainly be full of challenges, as “the old” ones, which we have already been faced with, so those new which are increasingly complex and uncertain”. In order to continue to face these challenges successfully, the Agency will continue its organizational strengthening and modernization following the world trends and also by employing the best as well as retaining already engaged staff. In this, MIA will be directed towards the future without forgetting its rich tradition.
Concluding his speech Colonel Stojkovic has said when “bearing in mind the capacities of the Military Intelligence Agency, professionalism of its members as well as the great support of the state and military leadership which we have for or work, I am convinced that we will give our contribution to the preservation of the security of the Republic of Serbia”.
