Yugoslav army sends troops home for the weekend

Yugoslavia’s cash-strapped army is to let some of its troops spend weekends at home to help preserve dwindling food rations for winter.

The initiative is part of an effort to deal with huge bills for the 70,000-member army, once a mighty force under former Yugoslav dictator Marshal Josip Tito.

Major General Milan Jevtic said the army “lacks food for winter and has to borrow new uniforms from the federal reserves.”

“To preserve supplies and combat readiness, we are encouraging units to send approximately 25% of troops to spend weekends at home,” he said.