History of the Serbs

BELGRADE - In occupied Europe during WWII, only the Ustasha Independent State of Croatia had specialised death camps for Serb, Jewish and Romani children, notes a resolution on Ustasha killings of Serb, Jewish and Romani children in death camps for children in the Independent State of Croatia between 1941 and 1945.

BELGRADE - The Serbian government on Thursday adopted conclusions under which Serbia and Republika Srpska will build two memorial centres to commemorate the victims of the Jasenovac death camp in the WWII-era Independent State of Croatia.

The retrial of Serb ex-policeman Milenko Maric for committing war crimes against the civilian population will begin on Tuesday in Osijek after he was extradited for the second time in six years from Britain, where he has been living for more than 25 years.

Maric, 63, who was extradited to Croatia on April 5, will be tried alongside 11 others.

Tens of thousands of names are written on the walls of the former Jasenovac camp complex. They are the names of the victims, whose old clothes are on display what is now a memorial site, reinforcing a sense of horror at the conditions in which they were forced to live and die.

Seventy-eight years ago, on April 22, 1945, brothers Mate and Stjepan Zukolo were among around 600 prisoners who took part in a major breakout from the main part of the Jasenovac concentration camp and death camp complex.

As the prisoners stormed the gate, attacking the guards with bricks and planks, the Zukolo brothers were immediately separated in the commotion.

TOPOLA - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic and Republika Srpska PM Radovan Viskovic attended on Wednesday a memorial service held at Oplenac, central Serbia, as part of Statehood Day events.

President Vucic talked about important political issues in the entire region.
"The situation for us is serious and it is getting complicated because this year we will have many elections in the region, which will be a good opportunity for continued attacks on Serbs," he said.
As he said, attacks on Serbs are a safer option for them.

Croatian political leaders, wartime generals and war veterans gathered on Friday in the town of Knin to mark the anniversary of the country's victorious military offensive, Operation Storm, which effectively ended the independence war in the country in 1995.

The anniversary of the military-police operation Storm, during which the largest exodus of Serbs since World War II was recorded at the beginning of August 1995, will also be marked as a national holiday in Croatia this year - the Day of Victory and Homeland Gratitude and Veterans' Day, while in Serbia that crime that goes unpunished will be marked with a commemorative rally in Novi Sad.

Ever since, politicians in Croatia and Serbia have commemorated different parts of those events - the parts that suit them, ignoring the arguments and victims from the other side.