29.09.2022.
Minister Stefanović Lays Wreath on the Occasion of Anniversary of Death of Major Milan Tepić
Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović PhD led a state wreath laying ceremony and ceremony of paying homage on the occasion of commemorating the 31st anniversary of the death of Major Milan Tepić. On that occasion, he stated that people like Major Tepić and soldier Stojadin Mirković had weaved their lives in the foundations of our fatherland, fateful to the military oath to the very last breath, reminding that we are obliged to build and strengthen Serbia every day so that all future generations of both the Mirkovićs and the Tepićs and all other families in this country could live in peace and prosperity.
The minister laid a wreath on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia at the monument to Milan Tepić in the street that bears the same name in Belgrade, pointing out at the same time that on that day we paid homage to Stojadin Mirković as well, who had been killed on the same day in 1991 together with Tepić, and later buried in his native village near Valjevo.
“We have gathered here today to pay homage to a man whose courage and loyalty got him inscribed in eternity, and he became a symbol of a soldier, a superior officer until his very last breath. Milan Tepić was an exemplary husband, father, and officer. He was a man who, together with Stojadin Mirković, gave without thinking the most valuable thing that he got - his life, and he sacrificed it willingly for our people, for the fatherland. “People give their work once, and it is kept or trodden on. I gave my word that I would defend this country if times get tough”. Those were the words that got him inscribed in the eternity, in centuries long history of Serbian knights, heroes whose sense of what was right was unerring - Minister Stefanović said.
According to the minister “for Tepić, being an officer was not a job, but a life calling, a military oath that was not spoken easily, but as a holy duty.
“Knowing that the enemy must not seize the ammunition store, because it would lead to the death of innocent people, Milan Tepić blew up the ammunition store in the woods called Bedenik on 29th September 1991. He did not allow Croatian paramilitary units get the ammunition and explosives. He destroyed the store and willingly lost his life, after he moved his soldiers to a safe distance, commanding them to withdraw into trenches”, Minister Stefanović explained.
He reminded that history would remember Milan Tepić as the last Hero of the People of the former Yugoslavia.
“There are no armed forces in the world that would not be forever proud of the fact that it had in its ranks a man of such greatness as Tepić was, and there is no people that would not hold their heads high when they say that Tepić was of our people. Sadly, in some previous times, this land was led by people who were ashamed of Serbian heroes, and they did not speak their names, and they far less fought to pay them all the honours that they had deserved. Those people never thought that the justice for Serbian children killed by bombs while they had been travelling to Serbia in refugee columns leaving their centuries old hearts, should be a topic of conversation”, the minister said.
He also underlined that luckily enough those times as well were behind us.
“Headed by President Vučić, Serbia has no intention to remain quiet ever again about the crimes committed against our people, and it surely is proud of the people like Milan Tepić. Serbia is slowly but persistently righting all the wrongs done to them, and it intends to remember its heroes by all the generations to come for a long, long time. Serbia hates no one, and it offers its hands of cooperation, but it does not forget, so that some past times in which we suffered tremendously will never repeat again”, Minister Stefanović said.
On this occasion, the minister of defence reminded the present of the death of soldier Stojadin Mirković.
“I wish to take this opportunity to pay homage to Stojadin Mirković as well, then a nineteen-year-old soldier, who refused Tepić’s order to withdraw and died holding his line of retreat. I would particularly send my regards to his family that is currently in Gornji Leskovci. Their closest ones have been carrying their grief over Milan and Stojadin with dignity for more than 30 years, and they live with a hole in their hearts, and we all know that the hole cannot be filled by anything. We owe it to them never to allow that the greatness of their feats is forgotten. They weaved their lives in the foundations of our fatherland, they were fateful to their military oath to the very last breath, and we are obliged to build and strengthen Serbia every day so that all future generations of both the Mirkovićs and the Tepićs and all other families in this country could live in peace and prosperity”, stated Minister Stefanović.
Within the ceremony attended by State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Miodrag Kapor, wreaths were laid by members of Tepić family, delegation of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces led by Brigadier General Saša Petrović, then Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Vesna Vidović, and the delegation of the Generals’ and Armirals’ Club, SUBNOR, Association of the 6th Lika Divisiona and Association of participants of the war of 1990, as well as the colleagues and friends of Milan Tepić.
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