Vučić laid a wreath at the Monument to the Košare Heroes; "Thank you very much" VIDEO

Vučić laid a wreath at the Monument to the Košare Heroes; "Thank you very much" VIDEO

President Aleksandar Vucic laid a wreath at the Monument to the Heroes of Kosare to mark the anniversary of the end of the battle.

After laying the wreath, Vučić talked to the veterans of the Battle of Košare, who also laid the wreath at the monument, and thanked them for everything they did for the fatherland.

"If we haven't done anything else, at least today we can talk about those who died and your role," Vucic shared that fact with the veterans.

He added that he would like to see them again around Vidovdan and discuss everything in detail, so that they can see what else can be done for them, but, as he said, something that is real and not what is not possible.

"But, when I see you, I get extra energy to fight for Serbia even harder with at least that little risk," Vucic said, adding: "Thank you very much for the honor you assign to Serbia and we should together try not to forget that."

We must not allow that, the fighters from Košare replied. "Glory to all our fallen heroes. I wish you all the best, and now I am going to Brussels," said Vucic.

Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans' Affairs and Social Affairs Darija Kisić Tepavčević also laid a wreath with the President A monument to the Heroes from Košare was erected last year in a park near the KBC "Dr Dragiša Mišović".

On this day 22 years ago, the battle of Košare ended, during which members of the army of FR Yugoslavia defended the state border for 67 days and prevented the ground invasion of the terrorist KLA from Albania into the territory of Serbia. The names of 108 soldiers, non-commissioned officers, officers, reservists and volunteers who died in 1999 at the Košare watchtower are engraved on the pedestal.

The author of the monument, sculptor Misha Rogan, showed the act of heroism of officers and soldiers who gave their lives defending their homeland.

The battle of Košare began on April 9, 1999, when members of the terrorist KLA, with the help of NATO aviation, tried to carry out a land invasion through the watchtower and make a breakthrough towards Metohija at the watchtower on the Yugoslav-Albanian border in the Junik mountains. The part of the state border around the Košare watchtower was protected by about 100 members of the 53rd Border Battalion, who opposed a tenfold stronger enemy during the first two days of fighting.

A platoon of Military Police soon arrived to help the border guards, but the attack was violent and KLA forces managed to take the positions of Rasa Koshares and Maja Glava, points from which every movement towards the border line was controlled, and they also occupied the watchtower building.

With the arrival of the members of the 125th Motorized Brigade, a line of defense was formed, which prevented further penetration of the enemy. In the following days, the army tried to regain Rasa Koshares and Maja Glava, and members of the 72nd Special and 63rd Parachute Brigades joined them. The front line was stabilized, but both sides suffered heavy casualties.

The battle of Košare broke out on April 9, 1999 and lasted until June 14 when the Kosovo war ended, with the Yugoslav Army withdrowing from Kosovo and Metohija after the Kumanovo Agreement.