Mojsilovic: There has been no heightened combat readiness, only boosted army presence

BELGRADE - In a reaction to a statement issued by Washington and Brussels over alleged excessive Serbian Armed Forces engagement in the area of the administrative line between central Serbia and Kosovo-Metohija, Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic said on Monday there had been no heightened combat readiness in response to the most recent security crisis and that the army had only boosted its presence.

"In the statement, a high level of concern was voiced over the number of Serbian Armed Forces equipment and personnel engaged in the area of the administrative line and on routes leading from the territory of Kosovo-Metohija to the central part of the Republic of Serbia. I want to inform you that, in line with an order from the commander-in-chief, the Serbian Armed Forces have not been placed on full combat readiness but that, exclusively, their presence and engagement has been boosted in the Ground Safety Zone and in the range of administrative line," Mojsilovic said at a press conference with Defence Minister Milos Vucevic.

Following the outbreak of the security crisis, the Serbian Armed Forces boosted their presence in the Ground Safety Zone, he said.

"As early as September 25, the number of personnel engaged was 8,350, not only for the purpose of securing the administrative line inside the Ground Safety Zone, but also in the units that were deployed near the administrative line. From a soldier's point of view, I consider all comments about the number of Serbian Armed Forces units engaged in the past ten days to be totally unnecessary," Mojsilovic said.

He dismissed as untrue all accusations levied by Pristina against the Serbian Armed Forces, including allegations of plans for an "incursion" into the territory of Kosovo-Metohija, and noted that former Srpska lista deputy leader Milan Radoicic had taken no part in training at the Pasuljanske livade military range.