The largest two-day search and rescue exercise in civil aviation \"SAREX 38-19\" and international ICAO workshop have been completed

The Director of the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia, Mirjana Čizmarov, participated on 11th December 2025 in the meeting of the members of the Founding Committee of JAA TO (Joint Aviation Authorities), held in Amsterdam. During the meeting, which is traditionally held on an annual basis, the results achieved in the previous year, key challenges, and strategic directions for 2026 were discussed.

Service of Serbia to gain insight into the Service’s operations and capabilities as it plays a key role in the national system for aircraft search and the rescue of persons in civil aviation. During the visit, the Mountain Rescue team presented their rescue operations setup, specialized equipment, and training programs. Particular emphasis was placed on the procedures used in aviation emergencies, as well as on the Service’s ability to respond promptly and coordinate with other institutions within the national search and rescue system. Cooperation between the Directorate and the Mountain Rescue Service was formalized in 2018 through an Agreement on the engagement of Mountain Rescue teams for aircraft search and the rescue of persons in civil aviation. The Agreement was concluded in accordance with a Government Decree defining the primary participants in the national search and rescue system: the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense, the Mountain Rescue Service, and the Emergency Management Headquarters. These activities reflect the Directorate’s continued efforts to enhance civil aviation in Serbia through regular cooperation and the exchange of experience with all entities involved in aircraft search and the rescue of persons in civil aviation.

On 4 December 2025, the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia hosted the 165th meeting of Directors General of the Member States of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). For the first time since the establishment of ECAC, this high-level gathering was held in Belgrade, bringing together 37 European countries and placing the Serbian capital at the very centre of European civil aviation. The meeting was opened by the Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Aleksandra Sofronijević, who addressed the participants and underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation among European states and advancing joint activities within the field of civil aviation. In the presence of delegations of the Member States, several countries signed, on the margins of the meeting, the Convention on the Bureau of the European Civil Aviation Conference – a document of essential importance through which the ECAC Bureau is, for the first time, established as an international legal entity, thereby significantly enhancing the functioning of the organisation. On behalf of the Republic of Serbia, the Convention was signed by the Director of the Civil Aviation Directorate, Mirjana Čizmarov. Alongside Serbia, the document was also signed by Belgium, Portugal, San Marino and Greece, while the remaining ECAC Member States will accede to the Convention in accordance with their respective national procedures. By establishing the Bureau, ECAC is, for the first time, provided with a clearly defined framework for its administrative and financial operations, enabling more effective management, recruitment of experts, conclusion of contracts and implementation of programmes of common interest – all without introducing additional financial obligations for Member States. This development represents a significant systemic reform, ensuring a more stable and functional structure for ECAC and further strengthening cooperation in the field of European civil aviation. When considering the institutional structure, it is important to recognise the role and scope of ECAC itself. The organisation brings together 44 states and serves as a pan-European forum for harmonising policies and practices in civil aviation, with a focus on aviation safety, unmanned aircraft systems, security, facilitation, environmental protection, and the promotion of diversity and inclusion. Since December 2021, the Republic of Serbia has had its representative in the ECAC Coordinating Committee – the body overseeing the organisation’s work. Having been elected for the first time in 2021, the Director of the Directorate Mirjana Čizmarov was confirmed in this role at the Plenary Session in July 2022, while her re-election at the conference held in July 2024 represented yet another confirmation of confidence in Serbia’s expertise and contribution to the development of European aviation policy. Hosting such an important meeting in Belgrade stands as a recognition that Serbia and its Civil Aviation Directorate hold a credible and well-established role within the European aviation framework. The active engagement of our country in ECAC’s work demonstrates Serbia’s continued commitment to enhancing aviation safety, modernisation and sustainability.  

On 25 November 2025, the Director of the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia, Mirjana Čizmarov, visited Niš “Constantine the Great” Airport on the occasion of placing into operation new equipment procured through a donation from the Directorate in the amount of 11 million dinars, aimed at enhancing the airport’s security infrastructure and operational capacities. During the meeting with the Director of Airports of Serbia, Mihajlo Zdravković, it was underlined that such donations contribute to strengthening the civil aviation security system in the Republic of Serbia, and that joint institutional efforts form the basis for the continuous improvement of standards and operational readiness. The donated funds were used to procure a high-resolution mobile X-ray system intended for screening unattended baggage, as well as training simulators for security control operators, thereby improving the training process and raising the level of competence of specialised personnel. Following the meeting, Director Čizmarov and Director Zdravković attended the first training session conducted on the new simulators, as well as a presentation of the mobile baggage-screening system in the departures hall of the new terminal building of Niš Airport. Through this initiative, the Civil Aviation Directorate continues its ongoing efforts to advance civil aviation by introducing modern solutions and improving operational procedures.

  The Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia, as in charged institution in the Republic of Serbia for organizing and managing the Search and Rescue system in civil aviation, has purchased the specialized equipment Portable Wide Band Direction Finder RT-400, to locate and decode Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz beacons (ELTs, EPIRBs and PLBs) for land searches. The device can be mounted on vehicles or carried in the DF-system backpack by rescuers for versatility in all types of terrain. The main purpose of this system is to have better localization by triangulation or decoding of Cospas-Sarsat (406 MHz) messages and displaying beacon positions on the map in all weather conditions, cause the DF-system is a water-resistant system for use during inclement weather. Operating temperature -20 to +55 °C. The activation of a 406 MHz radio beacon (ELT, EPIRB, PLB) indicates that an aircraft, vessel, or person is in a potential distress situation. The use of the DF RT-400 device will improve the current SAR capacities of the Rescue Coordination Center-Belgrade of the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia, to quickly locate the position of people in distress, via an activated 406 MHz beacon, especially in complex weather conditions. Frequency Range: 118.000 to 124.000 MHz; 154.000 to 163.000 MHz; 240.000 to 246.000 MHz; 400.000 to 410.000 MHz; The product RT-400 is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of: • Directive 2014/53/EU relating to radio equipment (relevant for RT-400 AU) • Directive 2014/30/EU relating to electromagnetic compatibility (relevant for RT-400 Power Pack) With the procurement of the Direction Finder for land searches, the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Republic of Serbia continuously improve the existing capacity of the aeronautical search and rescue system in the civil aviation of the Republic of Serbia.