Military Union of Serbia Sues Vulin: He Behaves in a Dilettante, Violent and Criminal Manner

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - We appeal to the President of the Republic and the Government of Serbia to assess how much damage is being caused daily by the dilettante, violent and criminal behaviour of the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin and to finally reconsider his destructive role and responsibility for the catastrophic state of our army.

Vulin's exhibitionism and harmful management directly undermine the combat readiness of the Serbian Armed Forces, the Military Union of Serbia states. 

"The Minister of Defence in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vulin, issued at the end of 2019, illegally and contrary to international law, a decision rejecting the request of the Military Union of Serbia for recognition of representativeness with the employer. Vulin issued this decision solely with the intention of preventing and obstructing the activities of the largest and only union in the Serbian Armed Forces that meets the conditions for representativeness. In order to protect our rights and the rights of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces we represent, we have filed a lawsuit against the disputed decision of the Minister of Defence," the Union states.

They recall that Vulin previously, also illegally, unilaterally and without the knowledge of the union as a party to the proceedings, issued a decision annulling the decision by which the Military Union of Serbia was granted representativeness back in 2015.

"It is more than clear that Vulin is bothered by the Military Union of Serbia because it publicly criticises his criminal actions and abuses. The main reason for the illegal revocation of representativeness from the Military Union of Serbia and the refusal to recognise it in the new proceedings, we see solely in the fact that a representative union has the right to negotiate the conclusion of a collective agreement that is in the interest of all employees in the Serbian Armed Forces, which Vulin does not want to allow. Today, it is clear to everyone in the military and the Serbian public that Vulin is not working in the interest of the Army and the Serbian soldiers, more than five thousand of whom have left the army precisely during his mandate. Besides daily abusing the Army for political purposes, Minister Vulin, with his dilettante management, is causing it incalculable damage every day. Although he presents himself as a leftist and a socialist, he is not, and he will be remembered for committing criminal acts and violating international law, suppressing and obstructing the only representative union in the Army, and illegally dismissing its president and general secretary," say the Military Union of Serbia.

They add that obstructing union activities today in European Union countries is a serious criminal offence; in Serbia, it is done by a member of the government who swore to uphold the Constitution and laws, and nothing happens!

"Hence, it is necessary to establish the foundations for future protection of workers' rights precisely by sanctioning the work of ministers who have violated the law and the constitutional rights of the Serbian soldier. By filing lawsuits and discussing responsibility before the courts, the Military Union of Serbia symbolically starts from the very core of obstructing the work of the VSS and the answer to why our activities bother someone! In the future, we will expose the work of Aleksandar Vulin and his closest associates in other criminal acts that have directly caused damage to the Ministry of Defence, the Serbian Armed Forces, the defence industry, and the state of Serbia. Without waiting for the end of the mandate of the worst minister in the history of our army, all the illegalities and criminal acts committed by Vulin to the detriment of members of the Serbian Armed Forces must finally receive their judicial epilogue and justice must be served - without delay!" concluded the Military Union of Serbia.