BUDIMIR: ORAO MUST BECOME LEADER IN DRONE PRODUCTION IN THE FUTURE

BIJELJINA, OCTOBER 31 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska Interior Minister Željko Budimir told SRNA that the defense industry company Orao must become a leader in drone production in this part of the region in the future.

"The Government will invest funds in this direction in the coming period, and this cannot be done without Orao. Drones will certainly become part of Orao's activities in the future. I ask them to be ready for that," Budimir said on the occasion of the company's 82nd anniversary.

He emphasized that Orao would not exist without the company's skilled workers, aircraft mechanics, technicians, engineers and administrative staff, who, he said, were responsible for the feat of evacuating Republika Srpska's most important defense industry company from Sarajevo in 1995.

Budimir said that the strength of the company lay in its workforce and stressed that the Republika Srpska Government would continue to support Orao in the coming period.

He reminded that the Government had also provided assistance this year to help Orao prepare for new contracts, which are expected to encourage the company to enter the commercial market.

"I wish Orao many more years of flying high, and our people and everyone who leads Republika Srpska in the coming period must not forget the achievement of Orao's workers, who in 1995 preserved the Serbs' ability to maintain such advanced technological capabilities," Budimir said.

As a sports pilot, Budimir said he was proud that the Serb people had had an air force since 1912 and had manufactured one of the world's best aircraft, the IK-3.

The defense industry company Orao marked its 82nd anniversary last night.