17.03.2026.
Anniversary of March Pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija commemorated
A commemorative ceremony marking March 17, 2004, the pogrom against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, was held this evening at the National Theatre in Belgrade.
The event was attended by Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić.As a representative and advisor to the President of the Republic, Miloš Vučević addressed the audience emphasizing that today the word pogrom carries a particular weight and sadness. It is not merely a historical term, he further stated, but a living reminder of a mother’s cry as she watches the home in which she raised her children burn. In our vocabulary, he added, this word also has its synonyms – the names of our innocent compatriots who lost their lives.
- The brutality and coordination of the evil and hatred directed against our people, their holy sites, and their homes continue to remind us of our two sacred obligations – never to forget and never to allow it to happen again – Vučević said, noting that we must continue to build, restore, preserve, and strengthen the foundations of our state, as well as the family, which is the key to the survival of the Serbian people.
Prime Minister Đuro Macut emphasized that the memory of March 17, 2004, is an important lesson, but also a duty towards those who are no longer with us, towards those who were left without a roof over their heads, and towards future generations who deserve to know the truth.
- It teaches us not to repeat the same mistake, but to strengthen our state, our people, and our determination to ensure that justice and respect for human rights remain the pillars of our policies. Today, as Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, I say that we will not abandon our people in Kosovo and Metohija. We will continue to advocate for their safety, their dignity, and their right to live without fear, without threats, without violence, and without humiliation. This is the duty of our state, and the duty all of us who love our country. Our policy is not, and will never be, a policy of revenge, but a policy of justice. Justice rooted in understanding and in the pursuit of peace and dignity for our people in the southern Serbian province – the Prime Minister said, stressing that while we look to the future, we must not forget the past, but learn from it.
The commemorative ceremony, organized by the Serbian government’s Committee for Nurturing the Traditions of the Liberation Wars of Serbia, was attended by His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, members of the Serbian National Assembly, government ministers, members of the Provincial Government of Vojvodina, Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Ivan Stoilković, members of the Defence Minister’s and the Chief of the General Staff’s collegiums, representatives of religious communities, members of the diplomatic corps, families of the victims, cadets, military school students, and other distinguished guests.
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