Vucevic: Serbia will not stop, that is our obligation to our ancestors

SID - Serbia will not stop - that is our obligation to our ancestors who have won the fight for freedom, as well as to future generations, because it is only through unity and respect for tradition that we can ensure safe foundations for building a happier future, Serbia's caretaker PM Milos Vucevic said on Friday at an event that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the breakthrough of the Srem Front in WWII.

"May we always remember the saying that nations that forget their history are destined to repeat it. May that not be the destiny of this generation. We must remain reasonable and aware of all the dangers looming over our society. We will never accept the role of the obedient ones, or ultimatums from nameless centres of power. Serbia will safeguard its friendships, both in the East and the West, while respecting international law and undertaken commitments," Vucevic said at a ceremony in the Srem Front memorial complex at Adasevci near Sid, northwestern Serbia.

"Our foreign policy will remain independent and our military neutrality unchanged," he added.

"We will continue to build and develop Serbia and return it to ourselves and our own roots," he noted.

"No pressure or threats will make up give up on that objective, and we will not let anyone take control of the state without freely expressed will of the people in elections," Vucevic said.

Considering their population size, the Serbs shouldered an enormous burden in WWII conflicts, and that contribution must never be forgotten or diminished, he said.

"In the toughest historical challenges, our nation, like many times in its history, demonstrated what it means to fight for justice and golden freedom," Vucevic said.

"In the year of 1945, after unthinkable suffering, devastation and victims, we ended the fight against the occupiers victoriously. It was on the Srem Front that the longest, the toughest and the bloodiest final operation to liberate the fatherland was conducted. From the end of October 1944 to April 12, 1945, the enemy was offering fierce resistance in the lowlands of Srem, being aware of the territory's strategic importance," Vucevic said.

"Due to the brutal fighting, the Srem Front has remained deeply etched in collective memory as one of the most difficult periods in the final stage of WWII. We will never be able to determine how many of our fathers and grandfathers exactly fell here. Officially, the battle lasted for 172 days, during which time more than 13,500 soldiers on the side of the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia were killed. Realistically, the losses were much higher," Vucevic said.

With heroism and superhuman efforts, as many as seven enemy lines were penetrated one after another, he added.

"Behind those lines, 100,000 German and (Croat) ustasha and domobran troops stood inside concrete bunkers, ready to defend the Third Reich and the Independent State of Croatia to the last man. Nevertheless, the Srem Front became a symbol of sacrifice and the victory and strength of a nation that never gives up," Vucevic noted.