State decorations given in Statehood Day ceremony

World's best tennis player, Serbia's Novak Djokovic was on Wednesday in Belgrade presented with the Order of the Star of Karadjordje First Degree. see more photos of the day State decorations given in Statehood Day ceremony Djokovic was among the recipients of state decorations given to mark the country's Statehood Day. Addressing the gathering at the Serbian parliament building, Djokovic said he would represent Serbia on the international stage in the best possible way. The tennis start stated that he was proud that the important medal was delivered to him in the building in front of which the citizens celebrated with him as he took over as world no. 1 last summer. He said that he had dreamed of winning the cup in Wimbledon, but could not even imagine that Serbia would decorate him with such a prestigious medal. "Now my people have indebted me even more and I have no choice but to continue representing Serbia in the best possible way," Djokovic stated. Addressing the guests at the central celebration of Statehood Day, Djokovic stated that those who were decorated posthumously on this day should never be forgotten. "Their deeds should set an example for us and show us how to be better persons, more humane and more just, and how to build a society we may be proud of in the time to come," Djokovic stated and congratulated all recipients on their decorations. He also congratulated all Serbian citizens on the country's Statehood Day. Serbian President Boris Tadic decorated 17 distinguished individuals and institutions with medals on the occasion of the Statehood Day. Novak Djokovic, Boris Tadic (Tanjug) Tadic addresses ceremony President Boris Tadic stated on Wednesday that Serbia's Statehood Day is the holiday of all Serbian citizens, a day when everyone should remember the country's libertarian traditions and take a look at the common Balkan region as a region of peace. During a central ceremony to mark the Statehood Day in the House of the National Assembly, Tadic said that the Statehood Day also honors the long-lasting efforts aimed at national liberation and complete restoration of statehood, as well as the consistent work on improvement of human rights and freedoms. According to Tadic, on this day Serbia honors the leaders of the First and the Second Serbian Uprising, Grand Leader Karadjordje and Prince Milos Obrenovic respectively, as well as the apostles of Serbian education and constitutionality, such as the greats from Sumadija (central Serbia) and Vojvodina (northern Serbia) Dositej Obradovicc Bozidar Grujovic, Ivan Jugovic and Dimitrije Davidovic. Thus, the Statehood Day also symbolizes Serbia's unity, its territorial integrity and indivisibility, and it honors the libertarian tradition of the people of Serbia regardless of their ethnic, religious and cultural identity, Tadic stated. According to the president, on this day the country marks the 100th anniversary of efforts aimed at ensuring civil liberties and human freedoms as well as the equality of all Serbs before the law, as a time when the insurgents in Serbia became citizens of a European country through the Serbian revolution. The two dates, in 1804 and 1835, round up the notion of the Serbian revolution and stand for liberation and winning of human rights and freedoms, Tadic stated and recalled that as Serbia's first modern constitution, the Sretenje Constitution "was so liberal that major world powers of the time prevented its coming into force". Honoring the decorated individuals and institutions on behalf of the Serbian citizens, Tadic expressed gratitude to all those who are helping Serbia get its rightful place in the list of top global events in the most positive light. Among those who received state medals today are St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko, theater director Dejan Mijac, theatrologist Jovan Cirilov, the Action Team for Locating and Arrsting Hauge Fugitives, the Serb Medical Society, the Petnica Research Station, Doctor Miodrag Stojkovic, Kolubara coal mines miners, members of MUP's Gendarmerie and Emergency Sector, and Serbian Army units. The list also includes three MUP police officers who were awarded posthumously, as well as Bosnian Serb Srdjan Aleksic, who died in 1993 while attempting to protect a Bosniak (Muslim) neoghbor. Austrian Diana Obexer Budisavljevic was also recognized for her efforts to save thousands of Serb children, slated to be murdered in the Ustasha Croat death camp Jasenovac during the Second World War. L-R: Boris Tadic, Patriarch Irinej, Mirko Cvetkovic, Novak Djokovic, Milorad Dodik, Predrag Markovic (Tanjug) Tanjug

State decorations given in Statehood Day ceremony

Đoković was among the recipients of state decorations given to mark the country's Statehood Day.

Addressing the gathering at the Serbian parliament building, Đoković said he would represent Serbia on the international stage in the best possible way.

The tennis start stated that he was proud that the important medal was delivered to him in the building in front of which the citizens celebrated with him as he took over as world no. 1 last summer.

He said that he had dreamed of winning the cup in Wimbledon, but could not even imagine that Serbia would decorate him with such a prestigious medal.

"Now my people have indebted me even more and I have no choice but to continue representing Serbia in the best possible way," Đoković stated.

Addressing the guests at the central celebration of Statehood Day, Đoković stated that those who were decorated posthumously on this day should never be forgotten.

"Their deeds should set an example for us and show us how to be better persons, more humane and more just, and how to build a society we may be proud of in the time to come," Đoković stated and congratulated all recipients on their decorations. He also congratulated all Serbian citizens on the country's Statehood Day.

Serbian President Boris Tadić decorated 17 distinguished individuals and institutions with medals on the occasion of the Statehood Day.

Tadić addresses ceremony

President Boris Tadić stated on Wednesday that Serbia's Statehood Day is the holiday of all Serbian citizens, a day when everyone should remember the country's libertarian traditions and take a look at the common Balkan region as a region of peace.

During a central ceremony to mark the Statehood Day in the House of the National Assembly, Tadić said that the Statehood Day also honors the long-lasting efforts aimed at national liberation and complete restoration of statehood, as well as the consistent work on improvement of human rights and freedoms.

According to Tadić, on this day Serbia honors the leaders of the First and the Second Serbian Uprising, Grand Leader Karađorđe and Prince Miloš Obrenović respectively, as well as the apostles of Serbian education and constitutionality, such as the greats from Šumadija (central Serbia) and Vojvodina (northern Serbia) Dositej Obradovicć Božidar Grujović, Ivan Jugović and Dimitrije Davidović.

Thus, the Statehood Day also symbolizes Serbia's unity, its territorial integrity and indivisibility, and it honors the libertarian tradition of the people of Serbia regardless of their ethnic, religious and cultural identity, Tadić stated.

According to the president, on this day the country marks the 100th anniversary of efforts aimed at ensuring civil liberties and human freedoms as well as the equality of all Serbs before the law, as a time when the insurgents in Serbia became citizens of a European country through the Serbian revolution.

The two dates, in 1804 and 1835, round up the notion of the Serbian revolution and stand for liberation and winning of human rights and freedoms, Tadić stated and recalled that as Serbia's first modern constitution, the Sretenje Constitution "was so liberal that major world powers of the time prevented its coming into force".

Honoring the decorated individuals and institutions on behalf of the Serbian citizens, Tadić expressed gratitude to all those who are helping Serbia get its rightful place in the list of top global events in the most positive light.

Among those who received state medals today are St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko, theater director Dejan Mijač, theatrologist Jovan Ćirilov, the Action Team for Locating and Arrsting Hauge Fugitives, the Serb Medical Society, the Petnica Research Station, Doctor Miodrag Stojković, Kolubara coal mines miners, members of MUP's Gendarmerie and Emergency Sector, and Serbian Army units.

The list also includes three MUP police officers who were awarded posthumously, as well as Bosnian Serb Srđan Aleksić, who died in 1993 while attempting to protect a Bosniak (Muslim) neoghbor.

Austrian Diana Obexer Budisavljević was also recognized for her efforts to save thousands of Serb children, slated to be murdered in the Ustasha Croat death camp Jasenovac during the Second World War.