Serbia's MFA commemorates the anniversary of NATO aggression, Djuric: Serbs in Kosovo still feel the consequences

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia marked the 26th anniversary of the beginning of NATO's aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia today. Minister Marko Djuric emphasized that the bombing represents one of the turning points in modern international relations and that the aggression was not only a prime example of the violation of international norms but also an attack on the foundations of the security architecture on our continent, the consequences of which are still felt today.

"Some of the tragic consequences of this aggression are felt by our compatriots in Kosovo and Metohija, who are still going through their own existential ordeal these months. Despite the investments and efforts made over the past 26 years, and due to the unilateral and malicious, I will openly say, actions of the institutions in Pristina, their number, unfortunately, continues to decrease," Djuric said.

As stated on the Ministry’s website, the minister reminded that despite the code of conduct that exempts diplomats from armed and violent actions, his colleague Nenad Nikolic tragically lost his life in a rocket attack on the Government building complex, while guarding the facility on April 30, 1999.

Djuric also spoke about the numerous challenges faced by Serbian diplomats abroad before, during, and after the aggression, emphasizing that thanks to the dedicated work and commitment of the staff, diplomatic activities not only continued during the wartime period but were also strengthened and continued in the years that followed.

He added that Serbian diplomacy is still engaged in overcoming the situations that arose during the aggression.

"Today, we are at a new turning point in the modern history of Serbian diplomatic organization, which requires us to strengthen, modernize, and adapt our institutional capacities to the needs of the era we are in. Therefore, we will continue, guided by patriotism and the state-building Serbian idea, to strengthen the institutional capacities of Serbian diplomacy," Minister Djuric said.

Former Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic and Ambassador Nebojsa Rodic shared their direct experiences from that period, with Rodic presenting an exhibition of his photographs as a material testament to the brutal physical endangerment of Serbian diplomacy. These photos were taken on May 8, 1999, when, during the bombing of the General Staff, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia suffered significant damage.