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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia, Republika Srpska mark Remembrance Day for Serbs killed, expelled in armed operation “Storm”

Sremska Raca, 4 August 2020

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic and Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina Milorad Dodik unveiled tonight a memorial plaque on the Raca bridge, in memory of all Serbs killed and expelled in the armed action of the Croatian army and police "Storm ", who crossed that bridge fleeing to Serbia.

Vucic and Dodik laid wreaths at the memorial plaque after Serbian Patriarch Irinej held a memorial service for those killed.

The Raca bridge is a silent witness of the suffering of the Serbs in 1995, when they fled Krajina following an attack of the Croatian army and police “Storm”.

Hundreds of thousands of Serbs crossed this bridge, which connects Semberija with Serbia, saving their lives and the lives of their children from crime and certain death, as victims of ethnic cleansing. They fled to Serbia, where they found refuge and hope.

Vucic stated that since 2014, Serbia and Republika Srpska have been commemorating Serbian sufferings jointly.

I am very proud of that fact. Milorad Dodik and I suggested that and I am happy and proud to see that almost the entire people understood the importance of that idea, Vucic declared.

He underlined that crimes should be called by their real name and that he is grateful to everyone who understood that we must have self-respect.

Serbian people, do not forget that no one in Europe and the world mentions any longer the genocide in the Independent State of Croatia, he said.

The Serbian President pointed out that the Serbian cities and villages are deserted.

That matrix has been set and it will be difficult for us to change it in the near future, but we have an obligation towards our children to open their eyes with truth, the Serbian President underlined.

Vucic emphasised that Serbia and Republika Srpska managed to say "no" to lies and to make it known that Serbia lives, that it will not disappear and that it will not bear the mark of shame that was put on her.

According to him, Serbia wants reconciliation, but never humiliation and it only wants reverence for Serbian victims to be shown.

We want it to be said out loud that an entire people was killed in Jasenovac, as well as in Jadovno and Prebilovci, and on Petrovacka cesta, just because they bore the Serbian name and surname. We had the strength not to hide whenever the Serbs did something somewhere. Do not force us to celebrate with you the killing of Serbs. We will not celebrate the tragedy of the Serbian people, said Vucic.

The Serbian President stated that there will be no more “Storms” against the Serbian people.

We will not allow ever again anyone to kill a Srdjan, Mrdjan and Mladjen. Serbia will never again be so small and weak so that many in the region and the world could rejoice over it, the Serbian President underlined and added that Serbia will never accept humiliation.

He pointed out that the number of Serbs in Croatia has been reduced to a statistical error and that the question is why others are silent about it and ask Serbia to be silent about it too.

Shouldn't justice be the same for everyone?, the President of Serbia asked.

As long as Serbia and Republika Srpska live, the crime against the people of Krajina must not and will not be forgotten, the President of Serbia declared.

Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina Milorad Dodik assessed that the Serbian people today have their freedom in Republika Srpska and Serbia, and pointed out that on this day tribute is being paid to Serb victims and that the criminal operation “Storm” was part of the plan to annihilate Serbs.

Dodik recalled that “Storm” was carried out with the blessing of great powers as the final part of the process of persecution of Serbs.

Speaking about Croatia, Dodik asked how someone can celebrate a day when 250,000 Serbs were expelled.

To whom is that homeland gratitude addressed?, Dodik asked.

He underlined that the Serbian people will not disappear, that it “loves freedom and it has been dying for it over centuries”.

Dodik also recalled that the Serbs from Croatia have not gotten their property back and that Cyrillic is prohibited there

Serbian Patriarch Irinej said that today we are marking a sad and tragic event that our innocent people experienced 25 years ago, not from some distant and unknown people, but from a people who speaks the same language and have almost the same faith.

After holding the memorial service for all the Serbs who died in the operation "Storm", Patriarch Irinej said that the only guilt of the Serbian people who lived in the territory of Croatia was that they were ethnic Serbs and Orthodox by faith.

He emphasised that the Serbian people have been paying the price for their name and faith with their lives since 1941, and unfortunately, they still pay it even today.

We are marking the 25th anniversary of a terrible pogrom, when 250,000 expelled and desperate Serbian people crossed this bridge, mostly the weak ones deprived of their homes and the lives of their loved ones, as the most tragic event in our history, Patriarch Irinej stated.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabic and President of the Republika Srpska Zeljka Cvijanovic also attended the observance of the Remembrance Day.