Sokolov: Tragic events of 1999 still echoing across Europe

BELGRADE - Russian Minister of Transport Maksim Sokolov and representatives of the Serbian and Russian railway companies laid wreaths on Tuesday at the Eternal Flame memorial in Belgrade, dedicated to the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing campaign.

After the wreath-laying ceremony, Sokolov said that the Russian delegation wanted to pay a tribute to the victims as a reminder of the tragic events 15 years ago.

Those tragic events are still echoing across Europe, said Sokolov, who added that maintaining the fragile global peace is very important.

Serbian Railways Director Dragoljub Simonovic said that the Eternal Flame memorial, erected in 2000, symbolises Serbia's resistance to the NATO bombing campaign.

Many railway workers were killed in the bombing campaign, which also caused massive material damage, Simonovic said.

The Russian delegation is visiting Belgrade to attend Tuesday's start of works for constructing a second track on the railway line from Belgrade to Pancevo - the first works to be funded by an USD 800 million Russian loan.

Wreaths in the Park of Friendship, where the Eternal Flame memorial is situated, were also laid by Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin and Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin.

Screenshot Tanjug video