Fascism has no place in Serbia

Belgrade, May, 11. 2010 (Serbia Today) – Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said yesterday evening that there is no place for fascism in Serbia and that Serbia is firmly committed to becoming a key partner to countries that want peace in the region. Speaking at a reception held to observe World War Two Victory in Europe Day, Cvetkovic said that it is our task to protect human dignity, to protect the individual’s right to live in a democratic society and to defend international law, while ensuring economic development and a stable future. Victory in Europe Day reminds us of the atrocities of World War Two and of the consequences of violence, ethnic and religious intolerance and genocide, he said. Europe Day is also celebrated on this day since modern Europe was built on the principles of the struggle against fascism, on the principles of peace, understanding, tolerance and cooperation, said the Prime Minister. More than 50 million people lost their lives in World War Two and 61 countries were affected by the violence and destruction it brought, including former Yugoslavia and Serbia, where human losses were immense, he said. This was the first country to offer resistance to death, fear and humiliation brought by fascism, therefore we are obliged to remind our future generations that it is the duty of all countries and nations to make every effort to prevent the emergence of inhuman ideologies, said Cvetkovic. Lessons learnt from war warn us that ignoring violence and indifference can reach fatal proportions. The ideal of freedom is the foundation of every society’s development, he said. The memory of those who fought for our freedom makes us responsible for trying to understand each other better. It obliges us to defend basic principles of civilisation, to prevent religious differences from turning us against each other and to be aware that it is only by respecting others that we can respect ourselves, he said. We cannot forget that World War Two led to fatal conflicts in this region, said Cvetkovic. Sites of atrocities and massacres in Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Jasenovac, Jajinci, Staro Sajmiste, Novi Sad, Nis and a number of other places are painful reminders of the War, warning us that events like these must never be repeated, stressed the Prime Minister. We must honour and respect all those who gave their lives for freedom – our freedom fighters, those from other countries and the Soviet army, who participated in the struggle to liberate our country from fascism, he said. Serbia is situated in an area which has been a focal point of conflicting interests of powerful countries for centuries. Its history is in fact a history of war and today Serbia knows that the struggle for peace and freedom must be a peaceful one and that it is the only way to protect our national potential, he said. There is no place for fascism in Serbia.