The 49th MAG Meeting, the semi-annual summit of RACVIAC Steering body the Multinational Advisory Group (MAG), took place in Belgrade, RS on 26 April 2023. The meeting, which gathers MAG Members, invited Associate Members, International organizations and participants, was organized under the MAG Chairmanship of the Republic of Serbia.
The Meeting was officially opened by the MAG Chairperson, Colonel Nebojša Svjetlica, Head of International Military Cooperation Department in the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia.
Addressing the MAG, RACVIAC Director, MG (ret.) Jeronim Bazo, recalled the Director’s Annual Report highlighting the most significant developments in RACVIAC in 2022.
The Director reminded all Members and underlined that high-level execution of activities and future-oriented development at an international level can only be achieved with a sufficient number of qualified personnel being sent to RACVIAC and adequate financial contributions. One of RACVIAC focuses in 2022 was also to prepare new long-term projects each lasting up to five years. He emphasized that RACVIAC remains committed to continue to work closely with all Members in fulfilling its mission of fostering dialogue and cooperation, to develop project-oriented activities tailored to the Members’ needs, playing a leading role in the area of confidence and security building measures with the aim of contributing to a safe and secure regional environment by improving the quality of its work and doing its best in addressing the Members’ needs and requirements.
RACVIAC Programme was presented by RACVIAC Programme Managers and Network Leader, COL Deniz Öztürk, PM, CSE Pillar, Mr Josip Mandić, Programme Leader, C-WMD Network, Ms Biserka Petrovska, PM, CTST Pillar and COL Dimitrios Biris, PM, SSG Pillar with regard to the respective Programme achievements and activities conducted in 2022, RACVIAC 2023 Programme and Projection for RACVIAC 2024 Programme.
In addition, LTC Sanja Kragujević, Chief of Admin & Finance, briefed the MAG participants on the Realization of Budget for 2022, Budget for 2023, and projections for the future period. Here it should be underlined that MAG adopted a new scale of the Members’ contributions, with an increase of 25%.
Furthermore, MAJ Tihana Kunák Koršić, RACVIAC Operations Manager, provided information on the implementation of the organizational structure and gave a brief overview of the current RACVIAC personnel situation. She took the opportunity to remind the Members to fulfil their obligations under the Agreement on RACVIAC because lack of personnel contributions can impact RACVIAC capability to fulfil the mission and execute the planned activities.
The highlight of this spring MAG meeting was the Handover Ceremony of RACVIAC Director. After the traditional handover of the RACVIAC flag there was an address by the newly-elected Director, Ambassador Constantin-Mihail Grigorie from Romania. In his speech AMB Grigorie thanked all MAG Members for their support and pointed out that as Director of RACVIAC he will spare no efforts to continue with the outstanding mission of our Organization. He underlined that he is confident that together with its Members, Associate Members, Observers and international partners, RACVIAC will continue to provide answers to the most significant contemporary challenges to regional security in South-Eastern Europe. The new Director conveyed warm gratitude and his personal thanks to General Jeronim Bazo for his impressive and tireless activity as Director of RACVIAC with the longest mandate in the history of our Organization. Subsequently, Ambassador Grigorie presented a plaque of appreciation to the outgoing Director for his outstanding performance of duty as Director of RACVIAC. In his Closing speech MG Bazo once again thanked all MAG representatives and RACVIAC staff for their ongoing support during his mandate as Director of RACVIAC.
MAG representatives expressed their appreciation to Major General (ret.) Jeronim Bazo for his outstanding contribution and wished him all the best for the future. Furthermore, all MAG representatives conveyed their support to the newly elected RACVIAC Director, Ambassador Constantin-Mihail Grigorie, and wished him success during his mandate in RACVIAC.
Mr Svjetlica closed the 49thMAG Meeting and thanked all the participants for their engagement and contribution.