Representatives of French company Eodex visited SMAC
In the period 13 -17 January 2020, the Mine Action Center of the Republic of Serbia was visited by representatives of French company "Eodex", as a follow up to the meeting with this renowned land and underwater demining company during the participation of the Mine Action Center, with the support of Civipol - Ministry of the Interior of France, at the exhibition "Milipol" in Paris, in the period 18-21 November 2019.
During this multi-day visit, which included meetings and trips to several sites in the territory of the Republic of Serbia contaminated with mines and other explosive remnants of war, the possibilities of cooperation in terms of training were discussed, as well as the involvement of this company in humanitarian demining projects.
The visit was implemented through the Embassy of the Republic of France, whose representatives were constantly involved in the activities during this visit in order to look for the possibilities to fund training and projects that would be prepared by the Mine Action Center and implemented by company "Eodex".
For the first day of the visit, the Mine Action Center organized a tour of several sites suspected to be contaminated with landmines in Bujanovac. On that occasion, in the premises of the Bujanovac Municipality, the meeting was held with the Deputy Mayor of the Bujanovac Municipality, Mr Stojanča Arsić, as well as with the Head of the Emergency Management Department in Vranje, Mr Vedran Tašković.
On the second day, a tour of the sunken German Second World War flotilla site in Prahovo was organized. The visit was preceded by the meeting in the Municipality of Negotin with the Mayor, Mr Vladimir Veličković.
On the third day, with the presence of the Deputy Head of the Fire and Rescue and Civil Protection Directorate of the Emergency Management Sector, Mr Bratislav Rančić, Mine Action Centre organized a tour of the location contaminated with an air bomb from 1999 bombing in Volgina Street in Belgrade, as well as a location in Kragujevac.
After visiting the location in Kragujevac, contaminated with an air bomb from the 1999 bombing, a meeting was held at the premises of the City of Kragujevac with representatives of the City, as well as with the Head of the Emergency Management Department in Kragujevac, Mr Zoran Kočović, who pointed how important it is for the City of Kragujevac, as well as for the entire region, to implement project for removal of this bomb, since the presence of this bomb prevents the continuation of the construction of a bypass near Kragujevac and in that way the economic development of this part of Serbia, too.
