Vucic: Serbian arms attracting great interest at IDEX 2023

ABU DHABI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday Serbian arms were attracting great interest at the IDEX 2023 international arms fair in Abu Dhabi.

"Why is everyone buying our PASARSes now? Because when we integrate Mistrals and some other lower-calibre machine guns with that vehicle, then it is a terrifically powerful weapon. Such system integrations are being done everywhere and everyone wants to buy our arms," Vucic said during a visit to the fair.

Many Serbian companies, including Jugoimport SDPR and private firms, are exhibiting here, said Vucic, who is on a working visit to the UAE.

"Our army must be much stronger, our army is much stronger than it used to be. That has to do with the defence industry and we must invest a lot of money both in the defence industry and the army," Vucic said.

He said he had discussed this with Finance Minister Sinisa Mali and PM Ana Brnabic last night.

He also said Serbia would invest an additional cca 700 mln euros in its army and the defence industry by the end of this year.

"Outside of the budget, we will have an investment of at least 500 mln euros, and since we will buy drones by the end of the year, it will be 700 mln euros," he said, noting that the debt-to-GDP ratio would never be allowed to exceed 56 pct.