Twenty-five years since the abduction of Slavuj and Perenic were marked, journalists said: "Give us back our colleagues"

Djuro Slavuj and Ranko Perenic, journalists of Radio Pristina, were kidnapped 25 years ago, and the perpetrators have not been found even after two and a half decades.

The President of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia, Zivojin Rakocevic, points out that it is strange that after such a long time it is still not known what actually happened and said that their purpose was not to allow them to disappear forever.

"This place has become a symbol of the fight for the truth and a symbol of the suffering of 17 journalists in Kosovo and Metohija, seven Serbs, seven Albanians, and three foreigners about whom almost nothing is known. How it is possible that in such a small space for 25 years, we don't know what happened? But this profession has shown that it cannot be silenced because for 25 years we have been repeating and looking for them because for 25 years of emptiness, pain, the feeling of abandonment, and helplessness, say that this system that kidnapped these people and that obviously, the Government has to be held accountable. And it's not all that terrible, because here with us is the third generation of people who were abducted in this place, that third generation of people and the relatives and the profession indeed repeat, we are looking for them. Please, from this place we have to say, we will not let you disappear, that's the essence," Rakocevic points out.

Ivana Vanovac, President of the Kosovo Journalists’ Association, says that after so much time, the only question that interests the family and fellow journalists is where they are.

"For twenty-five years, fellow journalists from this place, together with their families, have been looking for an answer to just one question, where are they? Journalists know how painful and difficult it is when you don't get an answer to a question; when you have to repeat it a hundred times. This question will never stop being topical, always while we are here, and we will teach the generations to come, we will stand here as long as it is necessary to ask where they are," Vanovac points out.

The head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo, Michael Davenport, said that the purpose of today's gathering was to recall the work of kidnapped journalists as well as the danger journalists faced when reporting during the conflict.

"Let us remind you that journalists Ranko Peranic and Djuro Slavuj disappeared exactly 25 years ago while they were on their assignment. We are gathering today to remind of their work and also to remind of their courage, to remind of the danger that journalists face especially when reporting during a conflict," Davenport said.

Predrag Slavuj, the nephew of kidnapped Djura Slavuj, also said that after so much time they still hoped to find out something.

"For 25 years, we have been hoping for at least a word, something to find out, to end it. We hope in God that miracles are possible," Slavuj said.

Snezana Peranic, the wife of Ranko Peranic, says that she cannot describe the pain and sadness she feels in words, and she owes her gratitude to everyone who did not allow that event to be forgotten.

"I would like to thank these people for not allowing this to fall into oblivion, and I have the impression that this is the only thing we can do to protect them from oblivion, for the rest, I think we are powerless; I hope that someone will have mercy and solve this and to finally stop this agony for us," Peranic said.

Journalist Jelena Petkovic pointed out that the fact that nothing was still known about the abduction of journalists actually represented the defeat of democracy and all civilizational values.

"The disappearance of journalists, the attack on journalists, the murders of journalists, are not only a matter for the family and our colleagues, but they are also attacks on democracy, the murder of democracy and all civilizational values. We, here, were witnesses of various missions that were supposed to bring truth and justice. The fact that they didn't do it is the defeat of democracy and all civilizational values," Petkovic points out.

Ranko Peranic and Djuro Slavuj disappeared on August 21, 1998, near Velika Hoca when they went to the field to carry out a work assignment.

In 2012, a commemorative plaque was placed near the abduction place in order to fight against oblivion, and so far it has been torn down eight times.

The plaque in Serbian and Albanian reads, "Our fellow journalists were kidnapped here on August 21, 1998. We are looking for them."