Serbia’s President Vucic inaugurates assembly factory for Israel-made drones

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday he has inaugurated an assembly factory for Israel-made drones in the Balkan country to boost its military.

Vucic announced in April that Serbia would produce the combat drones with Israel. Regional BIRN news service reported in the same month that Serbia’s Yugoimport SDPR state arms producer would open a drone plant with Elbit Systems.

In an Instagram post Thursday, Vucic said the new factory will employ about 100 people and produce “the most modern equipment” for the Serbian military and the armed forces of some other countries.

No other details about the factory were revealed. Vucic said in his post that he could not invite the press due to the “confidentiality of the production process.”

“Our plans are huge,” Vucic wrote. “We believe that we will open with our Israeli partners at least three more factories throughout Serbia.”

Videos posted on Instagram showed the populist president visiting the factory and inspecting and briefly operating a drone.

“Now you can see how the drone is used and how it works,” Vucic said. “They go through the windows and chase the opponent, they are incredibly efficient.”

“I am very happy that we have reached this level of development,” he said, adding that warheads will be produced in Serbia’s Krusik weapons factory.