Defence Council Appoints New Chief of General Staff in Serbia-Montenegro
13/01/2005
Dragan Paskas became the new chief of general staff of the Serbia-Montenegro Army on 1 January. He is expected to speed up the process of army reform.
By Davor Konjukusic for Southeast European Times in Belgrade - 13/01/05
 Deputy Director for political-military affairs, Europe, at the Joint Staff, Rear Admiral Donald P. Loren (left), meets with Serbia-Montenegro's newly appointed Army Chief of General Staff Dragan Paskas in Belgrade on Tuesday (11 January). [AFP] |
Military experts have welcomed the Defence Council's appointment of Dragan Paskas as the new chief of general staff of the Serbia-Montenegro Army (VSCG). Paskas, who took up the post on 1 January, has been trained in NATO military schools and is expected to speed up the process of army reform. He replaces Branko Krga, who retired last year along with 11 other generals over the age of 55.
Prior to his appointment, Paskas was commander of the Novi Sad Corps of the VSCG. He received his military schooling at the Serbia-Montenegro Military Academy, the General Staff School and the School of National Defence, and has held all command positions, from platoon commander to corps commander. Paskas attained the rank of general on 31 December 2002. He served in garrisons in Belgrade, Valjevo, Podgorica and Novi Sad.
"As the chief of the general staff, I will work on the organisation of processes of army command and units, as well as on the development and improved efficiency of the system of command," Paskas said, adding that he has many challenges ahead of him in terms of reorganising the army and the system of defence.
Defence Minister Prvoslav Davinic, meanwhile, says he is convinced reforms will be carried out on schedule. Additional funding has been secured, and the Supreme Defence Council, the Council of Ministers, and the Serbian Parliament all fully support the reform process, he said.
"Reforms refer to better equipment and reorganisation of units, as well as to the resolution of social problems, and above all to housing problems of members of the army," Davinic said, adding that the number of generals will also be reduced in the future.
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