KRAGUJEVAC, Serbia - German Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Thomas Schieb and Chief of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade, Brigadier General Tommaso Vitale stated, during their visit to the Technical Overhaul Facility in Kragujevac (TRZ), that NATO will continue to assist Serbia in the disposal and destruction of dangerous obsolete ammunition and weapons, which will make the country safer. The Facility has already received considerable assistance from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), financed by a NATO Trust Fund. The TRZ is the main facility in Serbia used for the extremely important task of disposal of unusable and dangerous ammunition. Its capacities and work safety conditions have significantly improved owing to the donations and joint work of Serbia and NATO, which most of all benefits the state, workers at the TRZ and the local population..
This project helps to consolidate long term stability and security in the region; Serbia and NATO are close partners, and partners help each other
“Serbia has large stocks of obsolete and unstable ammunition, which may pose a great risk not only to the brave workers in Kragujevac, but also to citizens and the environment”, said the Chief of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade, Brigadier General Tommaso Vitale. Brigadier General Vitale also pointed out that “this project helps to consolidate long term stability and security in the region; Serbia and NATO are close partners, and partners help each other; the financial assistance provided by NATO and its members has helped to modernize the capacities of this facility and ensure the safety of its personnel, by reducing the risks of accidental explosions of dangerous obsolete ammunition, as it happened in the past.”
German Ambassador and Head of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade during the visit to the demilitarization facility in Kragujevac supported by NATO
Numerous NATO members provided funds for the modernization of the Kragujevac facility, with Germany at the forefront, as the main contributor to the NSPA project.
The Ambassador of Germany to Serbia, H.E. Thomas Schieb stated that “this is a concrete example of the benefits derived from the close partnership between Serbia and NATO. Germany wants to support Serbia and its citizens through this project, and through many others. My country, as a NATO member, is committed to helping countries in the Western Balkans safely store their munitions and destroy unusable and dangerous ammunition in the best way. This is good for Serbia and for the entire region.”
The project for helping the Technical Overhaul Facility in Kragujevac is aimed at the safe disposal of 1,300 tonnes of ammunition. It started in 2016 and has been supported by NATO Allies with EUR 5.6 million committed.
Brigadier General Tommaso Vitale, Head of the NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade with Serbian officers during the visit to the demilitarization facility in Kragujevac supported by NATO