Serbia marks Victory Day

BELGRADE - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Hero on the Avala mountain near Belgrade Friday to mark Victory Day over Fascism, May 9.

Nikolic wrote in the visitors’ book: “Our gratitude for the freedom of Serbia and victory over fascism that you shed your blood for is eternal. We are leading the Serbia of today in such a way that its freedom should never seek the blood of its children again. Thank you.”

Nikolic laid the wreath with full military honors, accompanied by Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic and Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic.

The Victory Day over Fascism was marked by a ceremony at the Liberators of Belgrade memorial, and Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Issues Aleksandar Vulin laid a wreath on behalf of the Serbian government.

He said that Serbia has been humble for too long in terms of its role in the great victory, stressing that Serbia got an entry ticket to Europe on May 9, 1945.

“For too long, Serbia was humble when speaking about its role in the great win. For too long, Serbia allowed others to give credit to themselves rather than Serbia and its people,” Vulin said after the ceremony.

On this day in 1945, we got an entry ticket and acquired the right to be a part of Europe and a part of the civilized world, the minister said, adding that Serbia was never on the wrong side.

Officials of the Defence Ministry, the Serbian Armed Forces, SUBNOR, the city of Belgrade, and the Embassies of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus and Azerbaijan also took part in the ceremony.

The flowers and wreaths were laid by numerous citizens including a great...