To mark Statehood Day, President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces Aleksandar Vučić presented decorations to the Military Medical Academy, the Technical Overhaul Institute “Đurđe Dimitrijević-Đura”, Kragujevac, the Technical Overhaul Institute “Čačak” and the Technical Test Centre in a ceremony held at the Palace of Serbia today.
Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić and Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff General Milan Mojsilović attended the decorations awarding ceremony.

The Military Medical Academy, which marks its 180th anniversary, was awarded the Order of the Star of Karađorđe, 1st class, in recognition of its outstanding service in health care. The Technical Overhaul Institute "Đurđe Dimitrijević-Đura" in Kragujevac, which celebrates its 75th anniversary, was awarded the Order of the White Eagle with Swords,1st class, for its outstanding contribution to the building of the defence system of the Republic of Serbia. The Order of Merit in Defence and Security, 2nd class, was awarded to the Technical Overhaul Institute "Čačak" in recognition of its exceptional, exemplary and honourable performance of duties and tasks relating to defence and security, while the Silver Medal for Merit was awarded to the Technical Test Centre, in recognition of its exceptional contribution and results achieved in defence and security of the Republic of Serbia.

President Vučić congratulated the award winners and told them: “As of today, you have more responsibility, it is no longer personal responsibility, you are now responsible for the whole of Serbia”.

- This is not just an expression of gratitude for everything you have done, but a much bigger obligation for you. Thank you for everything you have given to our country that we never expected. A medal is something you did not ask for, and you deserve much more than that - said the President of Serbia.

In his address, he said that “all great things are simple and can generally be expressed in one word, be it freedom, justice, honour, duty, mercy or hope”. According to him, this thought expresses the essence of what we celebrate today, what we remember, and what we have striven for for more than 200 years.

- Because of freedom and justice, an uprising broke out in 1804. Those words - mercy, hope, justice were the reason why the Candlemas (Sretenje) Constitution was adopted in 1835. Today, the words duty and honour are the driving force behind everything we do in Serbia. They are the foundation of all our efforts. Together with other simple concepts, they are both a pledge and fuel; they admonish us and drive us forward. At the same time, those short, simple words contain all the reasons why today we present the highest state decorations to the people who have confirmed, embodied and lived the meaning of those words, and who have given this society much more than they have received or asked for - said President Vučić.
Head of the Military Medical Academy, Colonel Nenad Perišić, MD-PhD, said that it was a tremendous honour to receive a major state decoration from the President of the Republic.

- The most deserving of this recognition are the employees of the Military Medical Academy, who have earned it by being responsible and working diligently. This also obliges them to work harder and better in the interest of the citizens of the Republic of Serbia - said Colonel Perišić.
Lieutenant Colonel Slaviša Stojiljković, Director of the Technical Overhaul Institute "Đurđe Dimitrijević-Đura", Kragujevac, said that the decoration presented to the Institute today was earned through hard work and great results achieved by all employees and associates of the Institute.

- Such great results would not have been possible without the cooperation with defence industry companies and the support of the Material Resources Sector and the Defence Technologies Department. It is a great honour to be the laureate of such a recognition, because our institution has been successfully fulfilling its mission and tasks for many years, and it is certainly an incentive and a motive for us all to work harder in the future - said Lieutenant Colonel Stojiljković.
Director of the Technical Overhaul Institute "Čačak", Colonel Vojkan Radonjić, Ph.D., said that the award was a recognition for all members of the Institute - both current and former.

- This is also a recognition for the Serbian Armed Forces, but also for the Army, especially in the year when the Institute celebrates its 100th anniversary. Of course, the decoration will give additional stimulus and progress to the Institute, which is ready to accept new technologies and to help our armed forces with the maintenance of modern technical means - emphasized Colonel Radonjić.

Director of the Technical Test Centre, Colonel Saša Veselinović, Ph.D., said that the award was a great recognition for the entire Centre and the results it had achieved.

- This is a recognition for all employees who have, for years put in a lot of work and effort to achieve such results. This would not have been possible without the great support of the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff, i.e., the entire Serbian Armed Forces, who have recognized our work as their imperative and interest - emphasized Colonel Veselinović.

The decorations awarding ceremony was attended by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, Presidents of the National Assemblies of Serbia and Republika Srpska Ana Brnabić and Nenad Stevandić, Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, government ministers, members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, and numerous guests from the country and the region.