Joksimovic: The crime in Staro Gracko is a scar for every Serb in Kosovo

The President of the Municipality of Lipjan, Milan Joksimovic, recalled the crime in Staro Gracko that happened on July 23, 1999, when 14 reapers were killed, and said that Serbs did not believe in revenge, but hoped for justice.

Joksimovic pointed out on Facebook that the crime in Staro Gracko was a scar that every Serb in Kosovo carried with them.

"Since July 23, 1999, life in Staro Gracko is no longer the same, say the residents of this village, and I know that too because I live not far from here. Years have passed since that day, the day of suffering, in the attempts to return people's lives to some normality, and even today, when this village is mentioned, we all remember the same thing, we remember the harvest, we remember Novica, who was only 17 years old, Milovan, Jovica, Rade, Andrija, Slobodan, Mile, Momir, Stanimira, Bosko, Sasa, Ljubisa, Nikola and Miodrag. We remember the sadness their families have lived with for 24 years, but also the fact that no one was held accountable for this crime either," Joksimovic said.

He said that the Serbs did not believe in revenge, but hoped for justice.

"God's justice has not bypassed anyone, so it will not bypass them either. I thank the families of the victims for not surrendering, for not giving up, and for protecting Staro Gracko, as long as they are there, we should not be afraid that someone will take Kosovo and Metohija from us, and it is up to us to remember and tell our children about the courage and sacrifices of our ancestors," Joksimovic pointed out.

Tomorrow, at 10 a.m., in Staro Gracko, a memorial service will be held dedicated to the innocent reapers who got killed on July 23, 1999.

Bishop Teodosije of Raska and Prizren will officiate at the memorial service.