10th anniversary of NATO bombing of RTS

A service was held today at 02:06 CET, at the “Why?“ memorial to mark the tenth anniversary of the deaths of 16 RTS employees during the NATO bombing. The victims’ families and friends, as well as the Serbian state television, RTS, Director Aleksandar Tijanic lit candles and placed flowers at the memorial in Tasmajdan park. 10th anniversary of NATO bombing of RTS They hope that the city authorities will try to turn the place into a sort of museum, as a permanent reminder of what took place there. Ten years ago today, on April 23, 1999, NATO aircraft struck the Belgrade Television headquarters, killing sixteen people on the spot. “This building, this place has become our shrine, because we know that their souls are somehow in this building which hasn’t been touched, and which should remain as a memorial to them. And we’re here, together with all our friends, to remember that awful tragedy of a twofold crime in this country. But, to the question ’Why?’, there is still no reply,“ said Zanka Stojanovic, whose son Nebojsa died in the attack. In 2002, former RTS Director Dragoljub Milanovic was convicted to 10 years imprisonment for failure to carry out the orders of the then government to move people and equipment from the TV building in Aberdareveva and Hilandarska Streets to safety. Kuzman Stoimenovski, who lost his son Darko that fateful day, said that Milanovic failed to execute that order, adding that that had been his own private affair, warning that there were many others to blame for the tragedy. “Milanovic was just a dogsbody. That’s why he is in prison today. Had he stayed here that night and all the others had fled, and nothing had happened to them, we’d be kissing them today. So, they stayed, fate wanted them to stay alive. That’s tragic, that’s awful, we’re seeking justice, not compassion,“ he stressed. The families believe that senior military and state officials at the time are responsible for the deaths of their loved ones. Jelica Munitlak, Milovan Jankovic, Dragan Tasic, Dejan Markovic, Milan Joksimovic, Slobodan Jontic, Slavisa Stevanovic, Nebojsa Stojanovic, Aleksandar Deletic, Ivan Stukalo, Tomislav Mitrovic, Ksenija Bankovic, Sinisa Medic, Branislav Jovanovic, Darko Stoimenovski and Dragorad Dragojevic died in the attack. The SEEMO calls for independent investigation Exactly ten years after NATO bombed the headquarters of Serbian state radio and television (RTS), the Vienna based South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute, today called for NATO to ensure an independent investigation into the attack. SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said that "the fact that the Serbian state media was perceived by some as a propaganda tool in the war cannot be used as an argument to justify the bombing of RTS as a legitimate target." He added that "SEEMO would welcome a full and transparent investigation by NATO, and urges NATO to admit it was mistaken to target a media outlet, in order to ensure that justice is administered and to finally bring some peace to the families and colleagues of the victims."

10th anniversary of NATO bombing of RTS

They hope that the city authorities will try to turn the place into a sort of museum, as a permanent reminder of what took place there.

Ten years ago today, on April 23, 1999, NATO aircraft struck the Belgrade Television headquarters, killing sixteen people on the spot.

“This building, this place has become our shrine, because we know that their souls are somehow in this building which hasn’t been touched, and which should remain as a memorial to them. And we’re here, together with all our friends, to remember that awful tragedy of a twofold crime in this country. But, to the question ’Why?’, there is still no reply,“ said Žanka Stojanović, whose son Nebojša died in the attack.

In 2002, former RTS Director Dragoljub Milanović was convicted to 10 years imprisonment for failure to carry out the orders of the then government to move people and equipment from the TV building in Aberdareveva and Hilandarska Streets to safety.

Kuzman Stoimenovski, who lost his son Darko that fateful day, said that Milanović failed to execute that order, adding that that had been his own private affair, warning that there were many others to blame for the tragedy.

“Milanović was just a dogsbody. That’s why he is in prison today. Had he stayed here that night and all the others had fled, and nothing had happened to them, we’d be kissing them today. So, they stayed, fate wanted them to stay alive. That’s tragic, that’s awful, we’re seeking justice, not compassion,“ he stressed.

The families believe that senior military and state officials at the time are responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.

Jelica Munitlak, Milovan Janković, Dragan Tasić, Dejan Marković, Milan Joksimović, Slobodan Jontić, Slaviša Stevanović, Nebojša Stojanović, Aleksandar Deletić, Ivan Stukalo, Tomislav Mitrović, Ksenija Banković, Siniša Medić, Branislav Jovanović, Darko Stoimenovski and Dragorad Dragojević died in the attack.

SEEMO calls for independent investigation

Exactly ten years after NATO bombed the headquarters of Serbian state radio and television (RTS), the Vienna based South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute, today called for NATO to ensure an independent investigation into the attack.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said that "the fact that the Serbian state media was perceived by some as a propaganda tool in the war cannot be used as an argument to justify the bombing of RTS as a legitimate target."

He added that "SEEMO would welcome a full and transparent investigation by NATO, and urges NATO to admit it was mistaken to target a media outlet, in order to ensure that justice is administered and to finally bring some peace to the families and colleagues of the victims."