PM addresses central commemorative gathering

PM addresses central commemorative gathering

The ceremony started at 19:58 p.m. in front of the former General Staff building in Belgrade that was destroyed by NATO missiles.

To the sound of the national anthem and then air raid sirens, citizens had a chance to light candles as spotlights showed some of the locations that came under attack during the war.

After this, the victims were honored when a minute's silence was observed.

An art performance saw actors and a narrator recount the most tragic events and the victims of the 78 days of NATO's air strikes.

Vucic addressed those gathered - several thousand citizens, ministers, MPs, diplomatic representatives, the clergy, army, and RS President Milorad Dodik and Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali - to thank them for coming and adding that "Serbia will not forget March 24."

According to him, Serbia is not an enemy "to those who killed us," because "that is the only way."

He said that Serbia wanted to join Europe proudly and with dignity, but that this "does not mean allowing someone to harm its good relationship with Russia and friends in the East."

“We are a small country, but a strong and proud one, with people impossible to conquer. This country can do all it takes; it can remember, and it can also win, just do not ask of us to forget,” said Vucic.

He added that Serbia "deserves to be lived for and today knows only of one fight, the fight for life."

"That life, that's our victory, a decent and arranged country, every factory we build, that's our victory, each Serb who can peacefully work in Kosovo and Metohija is our victory, Serbia in Europe, our victory. We want to go to Europe with our head held high, honorable, we are a small country, but tough and proud," according to the prime minister.

Vucic said that "March 24 was the first of 78 days that Serbia will never forget on behalf of all those killed."

"We remember, all other others should remember - our Serb memory is long and we will never forget. Not one of those 78 days, not one victim, not one sorrow."

He noted that 19 countries "moved on Serbia" without the approval of the UN - but that he would "not talk about injustice today," nor about the taking away of our territory, "because that is well known."

"We know and those who did it know, as well as that we stood tall and without fear. I don't want to talk about that, because it is not up to us to judge anyone," he said, adding that "the Serb policy was not without sin, nor was this the first war in history."

Listing the names of places that were targeted, such as Grdelica, Nis, the RTS HQ, bridges, and mentioning Milica Rakic, a 3-year-old killed in her family home, Vucic said:

"Serbia today pleads, I today plead - forgive your country, you who gave everything. Forgive the wars, the wrong decisions, the wrong alliances it made, each division, forgive for your sake, for our sake, because we have no other country, only Serbia."

"Serbia will accept every punishment and I will do it myself, because I have no greater duty than to fight for my own country. We are not shouting, we do not want political decisions, today we remember the victims in a dignified and serious manner," said he.