Serbian Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac announced on Monday that around EUR 20 million would be invested in Belgrade's Military Technical Institute (VTI) despite budget reductions.

Visiting VTI together with ambassadors and military envoys accredited in Serbia, Sutanovac said that Serbia's major export projects were the ones launched in VTI, mostly for the needs of the Serbian Armed Forces and those of some major markets.

Over the past few years, we kept investing in VTI so that it could become a leader in the region and wider, and this year, we intend to invest around EUR 20 million into the project, despite the reduced budget, Sutanovac told reporters and added that VTI is the mind and heart of defence industry and defence possibilities of the Serbian Armed Forces.

According to Sutanovac, VTI developed around 1.300 products which have multifunctional value for the Serbian Army, and some of them for the civilian needs as well.

Reflecting on the Monday visit of the ambassadors and military envoys, Sutanovac expressed hope that they would send reports to their countries with a wish to ensure that the cooperation between their countries and Serbia continues, adding that this is one of the purposes of the Monday visit was to show which projects Serbia and some of those countries can cooperate on.

He added that 25 officers from Algeria graduated at VTI in the previous period and that new officers should arrive from abroad who would contribute to making Serbia a wide-scope partner.

The presentation on VTI work and some of its other current and former products was attended by U.S. Ambassador Mary Warlick, Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin, German Ambassador Wolfram Maas and some other foreign diplomats, and Warlick stated on this occasion that VTI is an excellent example of the possibilities Serbia can offer.

Swiss Ambassador Erwin Hofer said that he is impressed by VTI's new technology, knowledge and possibilities.

VTI covers 83 hectares and consists of 22 laboratories. During their visit, ambassadors and military envoys were informed about the future projects such as unmanned aerial vehicles and missile systems.