30.05.2024.

Minister of Defence lays wreath at Memorial to Victims of NATO Aggression on Varvarin Bridge

Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić laid a wreath today at the Memorial to the Victims of NATO Aggression on the Varvarin Bridge to mark the 25th anniversary of the deaths of civilians who were killed on that bridge.

During the wreath-laying ceremony, Minister Gašić was accompanied by Brigadier General Goran Momčilović and Brigadier General Savo Iriškić.

In his address, Minister Gašić wondered what had led the instigators and perpetrators of the crime and murder of ten residents of that small town to commit such heinous act on the bridge in Varvarin 25 years ago.

- Why did they decide to bomb the bridge in the middle of the day on the feast of the Holy Trinity, with hundreds of innocent civilians standing nearby? Many people would be left speechless at the horror of this question. The then fifteen-year-old Sanja Milenković, a student of the Mathematical High School in Belgrade and one of the best students in the history of the elementary school in Varvarin would also be left speechless. Unfortunately Sanja is not allowed to ask those questions. Along with nine other fellow citizens, her life was cut short in this place on May 30, 1999. Her right to ask these and many other questions, her right to grow up, start a family, become the pride of Varvarin and our country was taken away from her by the aggressors’ bombs and rockets - Minister Gašić said.

He said that Milan Savić, Vojkan Stanković, Zoran Marinković, Stojan Ristić, Ratobor Simonović, Ružica Simonović, Milivoje Ćirić, Dragoslav Terzić and Tola Apostolović had also been killed in several plane attacks.

- The crime that was committed here and that filled our hearts with eternal sadness was by no means the only one. There are many places in Serbia where numerous civilians died during the 78 days of NATO aggression. Feeling no remorse, the aggressor declared them "collateral damage". We will never accept such interpretations and immoral justifications. We will always call crimes by their right name - said the minister of defence.

According to him, Serbia is now a different country from what it was at the beginning of the 2000s.

- We have managed to get back on our feet, strengthen our economy and our military. The peaceful and constructive policy followed by President Vučić and our government promotes cooperation between people, countries and nations. It is a policy aimed at building bridges, based on trust and equality. It is an idea that encourages us to build bridges ourselves, bridging the gaps between us and the goal we are striving for - a bright and safe future for new generations - said Minister Gašić.

At the end of his address, Minister Gašić said that the past must not be forgotten.

- There are lessons to be learned from the past. We must understand them so that the history of suffering does happen again. We will never forget the innocent victims whose lives were cut short by NATO bombs, and we will always remember them with reverence - said the minister of defence.

According to the president of the municipality of Varvarin, Violeta Lutovac Đurđević, the archives will forever hold the record of Varvarin’s ordeal, and the victims of "that evil time will not remain invisible and silent".

- We are like one big family that gets together every year at the end of May to grieve, to heal our wounds, but also to stick together in good and bad times. We are gathered in a place that bears witness to a madness, in the place of Varvarin’s greatest sadness - said Ms. Lutovac Đurđević, adding that the NATO aggression in 1999 was the total negation of humanity.

Wreaths were also laid at the memorial by the victims’ family members, Mile Rosić from the Prime Minister’s Office, State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Đorđe Todorov, representatives of the local self-government, and representatives of associations committed to fostering traditions.

The wreath-laying ceremony was preceded by a mass for the victims who died on the Varvarin Bridge in the NATO aggression in 1999.