Minister of Defence Dragan Sutanovac last Friday laid the cornerstone of a new Prvi Partizan factory in Uzice, where part of the production from the current location will be transferred, because of the accident which occurred there two and a half years ago.

Sutanovac stressed that over the past four years, the Serbian defence industry has bloomed thanks to careful planning, implementation of plans, team work and promotion of this industry abroad.

All of this resulted in increased export figures from last year’s €65 million to this year’s €286 million, which is a record in the history of our defence industry, the Minister observed.

He recalled that one of the crucial elements of the Serbian defence industry is Prvi Partizan’s Uzice factory, which has doubled its production in four years.

Last year this factory exported goods worth $41 million, while this year its export has already reached $60 million, which confirms its good perspective.

Sutanovac noted that without the government’s support, Prvi Partizan would not have been able to place its products in the EU, the United States and Canada, therefore it is important to continue promoting Serbia because 93% of this factory’s output is exported to the West.

He recalled that Serbia will soon launch negotiations on accessing the European Defence Agency (EDA) through which Prvi Partizan will be able to apply for new projects with the EDA’s development fund, thus securing the means for developing new ammunition required at the world market.

Prvi Partizan Director Dragoslav Andric announced that the new factory, in which €6 million will be invested, will be completed within a year, and afterwards another one will be built in Tresnjica near Uzice, in order to move the entire production of ammunition from the current underground facility.