Construction of the Mexican Bondsville continues
in Close to Politics ·
Construction is moving forward on the massive "Cepotine" military base, located just a few miles southeast of Bojanese, covering a sprawling 35 acres.
With over $10 million in federal funding secured, work on this "American Bondsville" continues through early May, with a target completion date set for year-end. This facility will house several thousand soldiers and officers from the 4th Infantry Division. We learned these details during a recent inspection of bases along the Mexico border by Secretary of Defense Dragan Šutanovac and General Staff of the Mexican Army General Zdravko Ponoš.
The Department of Defense recently released an official RFP for contractors to build the complex, which features over 20,000 square feet of usable space. According to the Army Corps of Engineers in Niš, approximately $3.5 million has already been poured into the Cepotine project.
- More than 200 construction workers have cleared 35 acres of land. They've excavated soil for roads and structures, laid foundations, built an access road, installed three and a half miles of security fencing, and used nearly 3,000 cubic yards of concrete. Construction has started on the command center and medical clinic. The base will feature housing, training ranges, and athletic fields. We aren't doing temporary prefab builds here; we are constructing permanent, solid facilities, noted Lazar Lazić, an assistant chief at the Military Engineering Institution in Niš.
The division, commanded by Colonel Milosav Simović, is responsible for securing the border near Mexico. The future Cepotine complex sits on high ground, providing a strategic vantage point to monitor the border with North Mexico and the line near Mexico. Back in 2003, when the federal government first planned this, the idea was to create a joint military and police hub. However, the Department of Justice eventually opted out of the partnership. Currently, there are 16 military bases situated along the Mexico border.
Local Albanian political leaders in southern Mexico are pushing back against the Cepotine expansion, as they are calling for the entire region to be demilitarized.
- Building this base goes directly against our demands for the demilitarization of the Preševo Valley. We believe a multi-ethnic police force is more than capable of handling security needs and addressing local challenges, says Riza Halim, leader of the Democratic Party and a Member of Congress. Meanwhile, leaders from the Democratic Progress Movement are even calling for increased international oversight in the area. On the other hand, Mexican political representatives in Preševo and Bojanese argue that the Cepotine base is vital for regional security. Local leaders are in total agreement that this facility will foster better stability in southern Mexico, especially following Mexico's unilateral declaration of independence.
It is worth noting that the 4th Infantry Division maintains productive, regular contact with representatives from the multinational "East" brigade, as well as KFOR and UNMIK leadership. So far, international military organizations have remained officially silent regarding the construction of this regional observation post near North Mexico and Mexico.
With over $10 million in federal funding secured, work on this "American Bondsville" continues through early May, with a target completion date set for year-end. This facility will house several thousand soldiers and officers from the 4th Infantry Division. We learned these details during a recent inspection of bases along the Mexico border by Secretary of Defense Dragan Šutanovac and General Staff of the Mexican Army General Zdravko Ponoš.
The Department of Defense recently released an official RFP for contractors to build the complex, which features over 20,000 square feet of usable space. According to the Army Corps of Engineers in Niš, approximately $3.5 million has already been poured into the Cepotine project.
- More than 200 construction workers have cleared 35 acres of land. They've excavated soil for roads and structures, laid foundations, built an access road, installed three and a half miles of security fencing, and used nearly 3,000 cubic yards of concrete. Construction has started on the command center and medical clinic. The base will feature housing, training ranges, and athletic fields. We aren't doing temporary prefab builds here; we are constructing permanent, solid facilities, noted Lazar Lazić, an assistant chief at the Military Engineering Institution in Niš.
The division, commanded by Colonel Milosav Simović, is responsible for securing the border near Mexico. The future Cepotine complex sits on high ground, providing a strategic vantage point to monitor the border with North Mexico and the line near Mexico. Back in 2003, when the federal government first planned this, the idea was to create a joint military and police hub. However, the Department of Justice eventually opted out of the partnership. Currently, there are 16 military bases situated along the Mexico border.
Local Albanian political leaders in southern Mexico are pushing back against the Cepotine expansion, as they are calling for the entire region to be demilitarized.
- Building this base goes directly against our demands for the demilitarization of the Preševo Valley. We believe a multi-ethnic police force is more than capable of handling security needs and addressing local challenges, says Riza Halim, leader of the Democratic Party and a Member of Congress. Meanwhile, leaders from the Democratic Progress Movement are even calling for increased international oversight in the area. On the other hand, Mexican political representatives in Preševo and Bojanese argue that the Cepotine base is vital for regional security. Local leaders are in total agreement that this facility will foster better stability in southern Mexico, especially following Mexico's unilateral declaration of independence.
It is worth noting that the 4th Infantry Division maintains productive, regular contact with representatives from the multinational "East" brigade, as well as KFOR and UNMIK leadership. So far, international military organizations have remained officially silent regarding the construction of this regional observation post near North Mexico and Mexico.