Belgrade has taken another step toward expanding its military infrastructure by involving the Serbian Orthodox Church in a real estate exchange process aimed at developing new defense capabilities.
Serbia’s Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Dragan Glamočić, Director of the Republic Property Directorate Jovan Vorkapić, and a representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Deacon Aleksandar Stamenković, signed a real estate exchange agreement on Thursday in Belgrade.
Under the agreement, the Diocese of Srem of the Serbian Orthodox Church will transfer a plot of land in the cadastral municipality of Beočin to the state, while in return it will receive state-owned property in Valjevo, which is part of the “Denovac 2” military complex.
Minister Gašić stated that the agreement will enable more efficient management of properties and create conditions for the implementation of new infrastructure projects within the defense system.
He said that cooperation between state institutions and the Serbian Orthodox Church serves mutual interests and will contribute to strengthening the operational capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces.
The agreement comes at a time when Serbia has intensified investments in military modernization, the construction and expansion of military facilities, and the strengthening of its defense capabilities.
For Kosovo, such developments carry particular importance due to the geographical proximity and the history of tensions between the two countries.
Although the agreement does not mention Kosovo and does not establish any direct connection with developments there, the use of state and Serbian Orthodox Church properties for expanding military infrastructure is viewed as part of Serbia’s broader strategy to strengthen its defense capacities, The GeoPost reported.
The development is expected to be closely monitored by Kosovo’s security institutions and international partners, at a time when stability in the Western Balkans remains one of the key priorities of NATO and the European Union.
