Brigadier General Zoran Lazarević

Chief of Defence – Montenegro
2022

  • Last updated: 11 Jan. 2024 11:52

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Montenegro

Brigadier General Zoran Lazarevic was born on December 4th, 1967 in Šavnik.

He finished elementary school in Šavnik in 1982, the Military High School in Belgrade in 1986, and the Military Academy of the Land Forces in Belgrade and Zadar in 1990, majoring in artillery. He completed the Command and Staff College, as well as the General Staff College in Belgrade in 2002 and 2009, respectively.

He began his military service in Sombor, as the Artillery Platoon Commander, and continued as the Battery Commander in the Artillery, in Backa Topola and Ruma, on several different artillery systems.

Since February 1996, his duty has brought him back to Montenegro, to the position of the Artillery Battery Commander "PLAMEN" in the 326th Mixed Artillery Brigade of the Podgorica Corps.

He continued to advance in the service, guided by the command path, as the Deputy Commander of the 130 mm Artillery Division, and as the Commander of the 128 mm Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher Division. After completing the Command and Staff College, he served as the Chief of the Operational Affairs and Training Department in the 326th Mixed Artillery Brigade of the Podgorica Corps, after which he assumed a higher position – Chief of the Staff of the Fifth Motorized Brigade of the Podgorica Corps, where he successfully performed duties of Deputy Commander and represented the Commander of the Fifth Motorized Brigade.

After the formation of the Montenegrin Armed Forces, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Brigade, where he spent two years.

Successes in military service, especially in the field of command of subordinate units, facilitated his career advancement. After completing the education at the General Staff College, he was appointed as the Chief of the Operational Affairs and Training Department of the General Staff in July 2010, and Chief of Staff in July 2010, as well as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Montenegro.

Since May 2016, he has continued his career in the Military Representation of Montenegro to NATO and EU, where he held the position of Deputy Military Representative of Montenegro to NATO and EU, and as an Advisor to the Military Representative.

Thanks to his dedicated service, numerous awards and praises, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and to the rank of Brigadier General. He is the holder of the Order for Contribution in the field of Security.

His hobbies are hiking, cycling and hunting. He is one of the founders of Military Mountain Club "Kapetan", and was a long time member of the Assembly of the World Association of Military Mountaineers IFMS, as well as the Board and the Assembly of the Mountaineering Association of Montenegro.

Brigadier General Lazarevic speaks English and Russian.

He is married to Sladana and has two daughters and a son.