02.10.2022.
Observation of Remembrance Day of Suffering of Serbs, Jews and Roma in Second World War
Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović PhD and Chief of General Staff of Serbian Armed Forces General Milan Mojsilović attended the commemoration of the Remembrance Day of the Suffering of the Serbs, Roma and Jews in the Memorial Park “Jajinci” led by Prime Minister Ana Brnabić.
In her address, Prime Minister Brnabić underlined the significance of the gathering in Jajinci for the strengthening of collective memory of all the victims killed in the largest execution site in the territory of entire Serbia in the Second World War.
- Today, we are standing together next to the burial mound of tens of thousands of civilians and participants of anti-fascist fight shot by German aggressors in the period between 1941 and 1944. Today as well we remember the suffering of the victims sent to death solely because of their ethnicity and religion. Not coming to terms with the occupation of their fatherland, just like our glorious ancestors in the First World War, they bravely and resolutely took to arms and strongly resisted the aggressors and numerous Quisling formations - said the prime minister.
Prime Minister Brnabić evaluated that the United Nations had been established after the two world wars to prevent the third one, and to save the humanity from the suffering that wars bring, particularly those that the Third World War would bring.
She said that in case of Serbia, which was one of the founding states of the UN, the fundamental principles of the UN and international law had been brutally and blatantly trampled on for the first time after the Second World War.
The prime minister said that the pressure on Serbia is directly proportionate to the degree of hypocrisy of the great powers that exert that pressure, stressing that the challenges which Serbia faces today are tremendous.
- The UN Charter and principles of the international law have maintained the peace in the world. Their trampling over Serbia, which was obvious to everyone who wanted to see it at the time, opened the Pandora’s Box, and the selective interpretation of principles of the international law has brought the world to the point where we are at present - said Prime Minister Brnabić.
She stated that Serbia is not ashamed to express its policy that is attached to principles of freedom anywhere in the world, and she underlined that her statement was supported by the speech of the President of Serbia given in the United Nations.
Prime Minister Brnabić pointed out that Serbia advocates for non-selective respect for the international law.
- Non-selective means that the territorial integrity of internationally recognised states is inviolable...period - Brnabić said adding that it cannot be violated in case of one country, and not violated in case of the other.
She highlighted the significance of the speech given by President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić at the General Assembly of the United Nations, as well as the importance of the respect for principles of international law adding that it is the only right path to freedom.
- We do not look at what happens in our neighbour’s yard, we do not work behind someone else’s back, and we render assistance to everyone that we are able to help. We are dedicated to peace, stability and regional cooperation, which are best supported by the initiative such as the “Open Balkans”. We are oriented towards the future, we are dedicated to the prosperity of our citizens and further economic growth and technological progress. At the same time, Serbia no longer suppresses the memory of its victims, both those from the period between 1941 and 1944, and 1945, and those who were innocent victims of the wars of the 90’s - the prime minister pointed out adding that Serbia does not forget its victims now.
Addressing the present, Slavko Milanović, the surviving inmate of the camp, said that on that day they paid homage to the victims of fascism of the Second World War killed in Jajinci, one of the greatest execution sites in Serbia.
- Unprecedented and unthinkable evil and suffering of innocent population took place here in Jajinci. This is where the greatest number of citizens of occupied Serbia was killed. Sadly, people were not killed just here, because Belgrade was unique as the city in occupied Europe that had the greatest number of concentration camps in its territory - Milanović said and sent the message to young maturing generations that fascism and Nazism are great evil which divides and confronts people, and that it is the ideology that must not have any future of followers.
Representatives of the city of Belgrade laid wreaths to pay homage to the perished, as well as representatives of the municipality of Voždovac, SUBNOR of Serbia, Association of camp inmates from 1941-1945, Association of Jewish Community, Jewish Municipality of Belgrade, National Council of Roma Minority and Association of the 6th Lika Division. The homage to the victims was paid by representatives of diplomatic corps in Serbia who laid white roses at the memorial.
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