Vucic’s bodyguard given command of MP detachment

Ministarstvo odbrane

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s bodyguard was appointed commander of the military police unit providing the head of state’s security detail on Wednesday, prompting criticism of the appointment.

The Cobras Special Purpose Military Police Detachment has been providing security for Serbian presidents for years both at home and abroad and is specialized in personal security for top state officials.

The detachment’s is now under the command of Lt Colonel Darko Djosic who took over from Lt Colonel Goran Colic at a ceremony attended by Defense Minister Milos Vucevic and Chief of Staff General Milan Mojsilovic.

Belgrade weekly Vreme said that Djosic’s appointment met with dissatisfaction among both active duty and retired Cobras personnel because he has been in Vucic’s personal security detail since 2015 and does not have the experience to take command of the unit. It added that Djosic received an early promotion to his current rank two years ago. His appointment was announced to the Cobras on Tuesday afternoon.

Defense Minister Vucevic told the ceremony that he trusts Djosic to do everything that the unit will be tasked to do in future. “Our homeland is under pressure again, primarily over Kosovo. Our job is to keep the peace because that is the national and state interest. We bow to and show our respect to the heroes who died for our state not just in 1999 but in 1998 as well and not forgetting those who fought and died for the state since 1990…. Serbia has extended its hand to reach an agreement but that does not mean we are weak and if anyone touches us we will retaliate decisively, efficiently, bravely and we will win,” the minister said.

“We are here to do the most challenging missions when others can’t, don’t know how or don’t want to with just one goal – keeping Serbia and all of its citizens safe,” Djosic told the ceremony.