25.02.2015.

Special plaque for members of the 204th Aviation Brigade

The awards ceremony "The Noblest Achievement of the Year" was held today at the City Hall, when 17 awards were presented. The special plaque was awarded to the members of the 204th Aviation Brigade of the Serbian Armed Forces who saved the snowed ones in Vojvodina in very difficult conditions flying helicopters over Feketic continuously for two days.

The award was presented to Brigadier General Predrag Bandic, Commander of the 204th Aviation Brigade. He thanked the citizens of Serbia who gave their voice to the members of the Armed Forces who were engaged during snowdrifts.

- The award means a lot to us as an encouragement for the future, because the members of the Serbian Armed Forces devoted their lives to Serbia and its citizens when they put on their uniforms. We did our job, but it feels good when somebody sees our honourable and responsible intentions, Commander of the 204th Aviation Brigade said.

It was for the 52nd time that "Vecernje novosti (Evening News)" daily newspaper selected in its traditional campaign the best ones among those who marked the previous year with humanity and selflessness.

The jury decided to award the Golden Plaque to Suzana Stankovic, a professor from Vladicin Han who donated skin to her student Milica Stankovic. Gold medal for the collective achievement of the year was awarded to the Russian rescuers, who rescued more than 2,000 people, including 600 children, during the catastrophic floods in Obrenovac in May.

Special plaques were obtained by Serbian fire-fighters, volunteers of mountain rescue service and Marijana Milosavljevic from Belgrade who saved the life of her colleague Ivana Jankovic by donating her kidney.

Dejan Lazarevic, a brave fire-fighter from Topola, who lost his life saving another's life from swollen rivers was posthumously awarded the gold medal for the most noble endeavour. The posthumous special recognition was paid to the youngest monk of the monastery Hilandar, father Athanasius, who died rescuing Greek fire-fighters who slipped off the road.

Golden Plaque for children's achievements was awarded by the jury to fifteen-year-old Ognjen Peranovic, a young kayaker. He rescued a father and a son who were drowning in the Morava River.

Special plaques were given to Drago Malinovic, who donated one million euros to build a school in Prnjavor, Milos Mitrovic who saved the suspension bridge over the West Morav River, Zivojin Bolbotinovic who jumped in to help to Tekija citizens who were struck by torrents, floods and landslides, then residents of Velika and Gornja Ilova in the Republic of Serbska who built the house to the affected neighbours, Milisav Alimpic who invested his life savings in the renovation of the rural health clinic, Milan Jacovic, an elementary school pupil is credited for the situation that the girl Natasa Ristovic received a wheelchair and Naser Abazi, who helped in the capture of a bandit in Pozarevac.

The jury was composed of the traditional jury president Matija Beckovic, academician Dusan Kovacevic, Acting Head of the Military Medical Academy Colonel Zoran Segrt, basketball player Dejan Bodiroga, actresses Rada Djuricin and Tanja Boskovic, water polo player Aleksandar Sapic, the director of "Comtrade" Veselin Jevrosimovic, fashion designer Verica Rakocevic and general manager and chief editor of "Novosti" company Ratko Dmitrovic.