15.09.2020.

Minister Vulin: Thanks to the policy of Presidents Vučić and Dodik, Serbs on both sides of the Drina and Serbs wherever they live are closer to each other than they have ever been

- On behalf of the Republic of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, I congratulate all Serbs, wherever they live, on the Day of the Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag. A few years ago, on the initiative of Presidents Vučić and Dodik, we started marking the most important dates in our common past, but what is even more important that those dates, is the fact that we have tied our future firmly. Thanks to the policy of Presidents Vučić and Dodik, Serbs on both sides of the Drina and Serbs wherever they live, are closer to each other than they have ever been – emphasized the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, the Envoy of the President of the Republic of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces Aleksandar Vučić. On the occasion of the first marking of the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag, Minister Vulin presented a replica of one of the flags of the units of the Armed Forces of Republika Srpska to the President of Republika Srpska Željka Cvijanović at today’s ceremony on the Plateau in front of the Palace of Republika Srpska in Banja Luka.

According to Minister Vulin, we have included in all the most important strategic documents of the Republic of Serbia, in the National Defence Strategy, a clear obligation of all bodies of the Republic of Serbia to preserve and protect Republika Srpska and the Serbs, wherever they live.

- Today’s national holiday is another proof that we care for each other, that we look after each other and that never again, for as long as fortunes and misfortunes may bring us together, we will not be alone, ever again. Never again will Serbia think of turning away from Republika Srpska, and Republika Srpska will never again feel lonely or think that it is not being taken care of – Minister Vulin emphasized.

He added that we, Serbs, do not live in one state by the will of great powers that was imposed on us for centuries.

- Bigger and more powerful nations than us made decisions about where we would live and where our borders would be. But no one can forbid us any longer, no one can make a decision for us to stop being a united nation in the political sense. We are one nation in terms of politics, in the most important national decisions and issues, in what gives us our rights and the ability to last – our freedom. We will make our own decisions. The Serbs fought to be united in the political sense, to make decisions together, not to run away and not to be ashamed of important national issues and to always see in their Belgrade the strength that will unite them, that will protect them and that will ask them for help and advice - Minister Vulin pointed out.

Minister Vulin pointed out that he is proud to be standing there today, and that he can congratulate all Serbs on this great and important day, proud that we are not ashamed of our past and proud that "we see each other together in a better and safer future."

- Happy holiday to all of us, and may we always celebrate together, free and under the same Serbian flag - said Minister Vulin.

President Cvijanović extended her congratulations on the holiday and pointed out that Serbs in Serbia and Republika Srpska must never forget the important things in our common past.

- I wish to thank the Ministry of Defence and Minister Vulin, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Military Museum for 130 replicas of military flags that they handed over to us today – emphasized President Cvijanović adding that they will be proud of them and that they will be displayed to mark important dates in Republika Srpska.

The Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, extended his congratulations on today's holiday, which is being marked for the first time, with the intention of doing so for a long time to come.

Pointing out the historical importance of today’s holiday, he said that this is a holiday to celebrate unity, freedom and the flag that is displayed on the occasion of the most important life events and under which we rejoice.

- I wish to thank the state leadership of Serbia for the generous assistance and support that they are giving us, but they should also know that they will never lack our help and support – said Milorad Dodik.

The rest of the replicas of flags were displayed on the Square of Serbian Rulers and the Plateau in Banja Luka, and these are replicas of the flags that were given for use to the Museum of Republika Srpska in Banja Luka.

130 replicas of military flags of the Armed Forces of Republika Srpska were given to the Museum of Republika Srpska.

The ceremony of handing over the flags was preceded by the meeting of Minister Vulin with President Cvijanović in the Palace of Republika Srpska in Banja Luka.

At today’s meeting it was stated that cooperation is in an upward trend and that there is still room for its further improvement.

The ceremony and the meeting were also attended by the Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Radovan Višković and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska Dragan Lukač.

The delegation of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces consisted of the Assistant Minister for the Defence Policy, Milan Ranković, Commandant of the Military Academy, Major General Bojan Zrnić, PhD, Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence, Brigadier General Željko Bilić, Head of the Department for Tradition, Standard and Veterans, Colonel Duško Šljivančanin and the Defence Attaché of the Republic of Serbia, Colonel Danko Štrbac.

The joint holiday, the Day of the Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag, was marked in Republika Srpska and Serbia in memory of the day when the Salonica Front was broken through in 1918, during the First World War.

At a meeting in Belgrade at the end of August, the leaders of Srpska and Serbia agreed to mark the joint holiday of Srpska and Serbia - the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag - on 15 September, the date when the Salonica Front was broken through.

Namely, 15 September 1918 is one of the most important dates in the history of the Serbian people, when the final, decisive breakthrough of the Salonica front took place and the exhausting and tragic trench fighting that had lasted from the middle of 1916, ended.