22.05.2019.
Representatives of Commissariat for Refugees and Migration at “Defense 78” exhibition
Exhibition of the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Armed Forces “Defense 78”(“Odbrana 78“), dedicated to marking 20 years of the defense of the country from the NATO aggression, was visited today by representatives of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia.
One of the visitors today was also the adviser of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration Ivana Antić Ćurko. Ivana recalls that during the NATO aggression personnel would spend 24 consecutive hours on duty in order to actively accept internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija and accommodate them in collective centers.
- We had refugees in collective centers. In Surdulica, two people were killed in the collective center when the town was targeted. Novi Sad was left without bridges. There were two collective centers there, so we crossed the river in barges. Our contribution was to be there for these people, to accommodate the internally displaced persons, to help them keep the faith and hope, to know that they are not abandoned, that we are there to help them, as we continue to help them to this day.Ivana especially recommends the “Defense 78” exhibition to younger generations so they would find out how terribly their homeland suffered, how she was bombed without the decision of the United Nations Security Council, and how a horrible crime was committed against her, for which no one was held responsible.
Petar Anđić says that the consequences of the tragic events during the NATO aggression will be felt for much longer in Serbia.
- In spite of everything that has been destroyed, almost everything has been restored. Unfortunately, what can never be restored are all the children and soldiers who were killed – said Anđić, adding that 20 years ago it was unthinkable that 19 rich and powerful NATO countries would ever dare and strike a country so small in comparison to them.The strongest impression for Lazar Pejčić was the room with photographs of children killed during the NATO aggression. As child of a military pilot, in 1999 he himself learned what fear for the lives of those dearest to you means.
- My father was a military pilot. I remember, every time he came home for several hours and every time he left again, I was left in anguish fearing I would not see him again. Of course, there are the sirens as well. We lived near Batajnica, which was often targeted. We more or less lived in the basement for two or three months – said Pejčić.
The interactive and multimedia exhibition organized at the Museum of the City of Belgrade and authored by Dušan Jovović, was carried out with the support of the Military Museum and the Museum of Aeronautics, while a valuable contributions ws also provided by the units of the Serbian Armed Forces.
The exhibition “Defense 78” is divided into eight parts, which clearly testify of the events that took place in the FR of Yugoslavia preceding and during the NATO aggression. The abundance of printed, audio and video materials, as well as original exhibits, stand as unique guidelines to the interpretation of the NATO aggression on the FR Yugoslavia.
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