Serbian officials, citizens mark Victory Day

Serbian officials, citizens mark Victory Day

The president was accompanied during the ceremony by Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić and Serbian Army chief General Ljubiša Diković.

WW2 Victory Day was also marked with a ceremony at the Liberators of Belgrade memorial, and Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Issues Aleksandar Vulin laid a wreath on behalf of the government.

He said that Serbia has been humble for too long in terms of its role in the great victory, stressing that the country "got an entry ticket to Europe on May 9, 1945." "For too long, Serbia was humble when speaking about its role in the great win. For too long, Serbia allowed others to give credit to themselves rather than Serbia and its people,” Vulin said after the ceremony.

"On this day in 1945, we got an entry ticket and acquired the right to be a part of Europe and a part of the civilized world," the minister said, adding that Serbia was never on the wrong side.

Officials of the Defense Ministry, the Serbian Armed Forces, SUBNOR, the city of Belgrade, and the embassies of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus and Azerbaijan also took part in the ceremony.

The flowers and wreaths were laid by numerous citizens including a great number of Russians and representatives of several political parties. Belgrade Mayor Siniša Mali congratulated Belgraders on May 9, Victory Day, the city administration said.

“Today when we celebrate the day of victory over fascism, we proudly remember Serbia's role in the anti-fascist coalition and its contribution to the mankind's great victory over Nazism. In Belgrade, the city of heroes, which was razed and destroyed, thousands of patriots and anti-fascists gave their lives in that fight,” the statement reads.

“It is our duty never to forget the victims and glorious days of victory without which we would not be free today,” the mayor said.