12.04.2009.

Minister Sutanovac lays commemorative wreath on Sremski Front memorial complex

On behalf of the Government of Serbia Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac laid a commemorative wreath on the “Sremski Front” memorial complex in Adasevic near Sid where 64 years ago one of the longest and most tragic battles in WWI took place.

The front struggle in Srem flatlands with more than 250.000 soldiers fighting, lasted from 21 October 1944 to 12 April 1945, claiming 15000 lives of the members of the Yugoslav army and of the members of soviet, Italian and Bulgarian units.

After the wreaths were laid, the present were addressed by the Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac who said that the breakthrough of the Srem front represented an end to a four-year armed combat against the occupying Nazi forces and to the further tribulations of the civilians in the Second World War in the territory of Serbia.

- WWII will be remembered as one of the most tragic manifestations of the human intolerance and animosity, and the large-scale destruction as well as the genocide. Time has only shown that the responsibility for the outbreak of this war lies on individuals and not on nations. Bearing this in mind, we must recall that the heroic endeavors were also oppressed with rifts, civil war. Nevertheless, this did not lessen the liberator’s spirit of our people or the memory of all the warriors who laid their lives for liberty in WWII, said the Minister of Defense.

He also added that the democratic Serbia at the start of the new century was trying to establish a civil country based on the respect fro human rights and the rule of law.

- We want to build our future with our neighbours and the family of European countries based on equality and mutual understanding. This is the only way we can contribute to the progress of our citizens and to the security in the region. By looking ahead to the future, modern Serbia is obligated to cherish the memory of innocent victims and freedom fighters, to protect them from oblivion thus contributing to creating conditions to make sure that these events never happen again.

Today should be the only day when we recall the gruesome events of WWII, as it is our duty to preserve the memory of them and the cherish the ideals of antifascism, liberty, peace, justice, understanding, respect for human rights, tolerance among nations, religions and states.
We should all strive towards an overall progress.

Other important persons were in the delegation of MoD and SAF such as Major General Petar Radojcic, Chief of the Human Resources Department and Dragan Kolundzija, Head of the Operational Affairs Department. The wreaths were also laid by the President of Nis Municipality Natasa Cvijetkovic, the representatives of SUBNOR, the Embassy of the Russian Federation, of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Ukraine, Belarus, of warrior and veteran organizations and associations of citizens.

Sremski Front memorial complex was built in 1980s and is made up of three memorial-museum components erected in the memory of numerous victims of WWI in this region. It covers the area of 28 hectares including a number of architectural, park-based and museum exhibitions, with the walls with bronze plaques bearing the names of all warriors as the most impressive of all. The work of the academic sculptor Jovan Soldatovic which reminds the present of the several thousand victims who helped the breakthrough of the enemy’s lines and the final victory of the allies in WWII.

At the end of the manifestation, the guests toured the complex museum exhibition as a tragic testimony of the massive loss of 13.500 of Yugoslav soldiers. Mostly untrained and unprepared youths died in these battles who were drafted in Belgrade and Srem in late 1944.