The export of weapons and military equipment in 2018 is lower by 87.51 million dollars or about 16 percent compared to the previous 2017, according to the Report of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, which was also published by the Official Gazette, reads the new issue of NIN.
It is noticeable in the Report that in 2018, in addition to Cyprus, the tax havens of the Virgin Islands and the Marshall Islands are officially included as intermediary countries in exports.
In 2018, the largest export was to the United Arab Emirates – 147.05 million dollars, or about 32 percent of total exports.
However, the final destinations of weapons exported to the UAE, apart from this country, were Burkina Faso and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia directly imported weapons and equipment from Serbia for 13.2 million dollars. This kingdom imported weapons from Serbia, and indirectly through the Virgin Islands, for 34.06 and through Cyprus for 24.5 million dollars.
Weapons for Saudi Arabia in 2018 were also delivered through Bulgaria, to which a total of 33.95 million dollars was exported.
It is interesting that in 2018, Bulgaria, in addition to importing for itself, was also a transit country for the Republic of Korea, Algeria and Azerbaijan.
It is very unusual that part of the export from Serbia to Bulgaria was again intended for Serbia as the final destination. The report does not reveal who exported and imported from Serbia, just as it does not say who did business through tax havens.
Exports to Armenia in 2018, due to the recent outbreak of a diplomatic scandal with Azerbaijan, were carried out through the Marshall Islands. According to four permits in 2018, 8.13 were agreed, and 2.45 million dollars were realized.
NIN previously wrote that Slobodan Tesic, the SNS financier, and the GIM company, which was mediated by the now deceased Branko Stefanovic, the father of the Minister of Police, exported weapons in some cases through tax havens where they earned extra money to the detriment of purpose-built industry factories, N1 reports.
