Serbia opens factory for Israeli drones, Vucic: We have three more ready

Serbia has opened a new factory for assembling drones designed in Israel, expanding its cooperation with the Israeli defense industry. President Aleksandar Vucic, present at the inauguration, announced that Belgrade plans to open at least three more plants with Israeli partners.

The plant is expected to employ around 100 people and produce equipment for the Serbian Armed Forces as well as for other markets. The factory was built in cooperation with the Israeli company Elbit Systems and Serbia’s state-owned defense company Yugo-import.

Vucic said this is only the beginning of the cooperation and that Serbia plans to open at least three more factories with Israeli partners. Serbian authorities have not made many details about the production process public. According to the Serbian president, journalists were not allowed to visit the plant due to confidentiality.

The opening of the factory comes as part of Belgrade’s efforts to modernize its military capacities and strengthen its domestic defense industry. At the same time, Serbia’s armament raises concern among countries in the region about the problems that the militarization of a state with territorial claims against several of its neighbors could bring.