24.09.2011.
Memorial plaque of gratitude to Russian doctors revealed
A memorial plaque of gratitude to Russian doctors and nurses who helped the Serbian people in the wars of 1912-1917 was revealed today on the building of the Serbian Medical Society in Belgrade. The plaque was revealed by the Russian Ambassador in Belgrade Aleksandar Vasiljevic Konuzin and the President of the Serbian Medical Society Radoje Colovic, in the presence of the Minister of Health of Serbia, Zoran Stankovic.
After revealing this plaque, wreaths were laid by Ambassador Konuzin, academic Colovic and the Colonel Jovan Maksic as a representative of MoD.
"In the early 20th century, Serbia and the Serbian people underwent many trials and tribulations, went through hardships, and the conflict has claimed millions of lives," said Konuzin after the ceremony and laying of wreaths, recalling that three years from now we would be marking a centennial of the beginning of the two Balkan wars and WWIAmbassador Konuzin noted that the Russian people with the greatest empathy was related to the Serbs, giving them all the help. According to him, in Serbia in 1912. The Russian came from a large number of doctors and other medical staff, some of whom stayed to work under the contract and after the Balkan wars, and new missions have continued to pristužu shortly after the outbreak of World War II.
"Our brothers in Orthodox faith, even after nearly 100 years have not forgotten the help that our doctors provided," said Konuzin. Today's date, he said, was chosen for unveiling the plaque as on this day in 1914, the first foreign medical mission, the Russian mission, arrived in Serbia.
"Our two nations have a tradition of mutual respect and help," said Ambassador Konuzin. He pointed to the fact that in 1999, a Russian hospital of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations was set up in Serbia during the NATO bombing in 1999, which admitted the wounded and the sick from Kosovo during the NATO air raids.
On behalf of Serbia and the Serbian people, Minister Stankovic expressed gratitude to Russia. "The citizens of Serbia and Serbian people express gratitude for all the help you have given us, and are still providing, hopefully, in the future as well."
The President of the Serbian Medical Society Radoje Colovic said that Russia had for centuries come to assistance to Serbia in difficult situations, providing military, economic, political, diplomatic and all other forms of assistance. He recalled that Russian volunteers had come to Serbia during the First Serbian Uprising (1807-1810), during the First Serbian-Turkish War (1876) and the Second Serbian-Turkish War (1877-1878), where Russia took part as well.
During the Balkan liberation wars 1912-1913, were eight medical missions in Serbia, mainly surgical, and during the WWI five missions in all. At the Thessaloniki front a Russian mission was deployed until the beginning of the October Revolution.
