Vucic: We are strengthening our army to protect Serbia

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday Serbia was investing in its army to protect and defend itself although it was a militarily neutral country that was not threatening anyone.

"In today's circumstances, if you do not have an army that is strong enough, you will not have a country or a state either... When you look at how much, how and with what everyone around us is arming themselves, (you see that) we must strengthen our defence and our concept of the so-called total defence accordingly," Vucic said in response to questions from reporters during a display of Serbian Armed Forces arms and military equipment at the Topcider army barracks in Belgrade.

Even though it is a neutral country that is not threatening anyone, Serbia must be prepared, he said.

"We are neutral and not threatening anyone - only our territorial integrity has been jeopardised. In the contemporary world, as you can see, the madness continues every day and you do not know when it will stop, and I am afraid it will get worse. We are safeguarding our country with what we are doing," Vucic said.

He said that, in a discussion earlier in the day, Serbian Armed Forces General Staff and Ministry of Defence officials had presented convincing arguments in favour of reinstating compulsory military service.

"Whether it will last 90, 100 or 110 days, we will see. Financial and logistical considerations are important as well, but we will discuss that. They have until May 1 to submit all their proposals to me, after which I will look into this with the military cabinet, the General Staff and the government so that we can make a final decision, which, if positive, will be tabled to the National Assembly," Vucic said.