Vesic: We are building Eternal Flame monument in honor of Serbian and Russian liberators of Belgrade

Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Goran Vesic addressed a ceremony today on the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone capsule for the Eternal Fire monument at the Memorial Cemetery of the Liberators of Belgrade. Today's ceremony marks the beginning of a series of events that will be organized in Serbia to mark the 75th anniversary of victory over fascism.

Vesic stressed that the monument is being erected in honor of our brave ancestors, the liberators of Belgrade.

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"In this place the flame of freedom, love and brotherhood between the Serbian and the Russian people will be burning. That fire will forever remind us of our heroic past, in which we stood together on the right side of history, defending the values ​​of truth and justice, for which our nations suffered greatly. There are some who will ask us what the eternal fire is for 75 years after victory over the fascists. There are some who will ridicule this endeavor. But we never needed the eternal fire more than today, 75 years after victory over the fascists, because fascism has awakened again. We thought it was beaten in the world on May 9, 1945 and we thought that evil was eradicated. Those who fought on the side of the fascists in the Second World War were biding their time to raise their heads," he said.

The deputy mayor said that the fascists, in order to cover up their crimes in the face of history, are trying to disguise the historical truth, trying to present victims as executioners and executioners as victims.

"They want to explain to us how Vlasov is a hero, while Zhukov is not. They say that Serbian fascist Dimitrije Ljotic is a hero while partisans Koca Popovic and Peko Dapcevic are not. For them, Pavelic's Ustashas in Croatia and Bandera's followers in Ukraine are liberators, while Russian and Serbian people are occupiers. For them, Jasenovac, one of the most horrific Nazi camps, was a recreation camp. Cicero would say, 'Oh what times! Oh what customs!' And today our message to all of them from Belgrade is this: We will not allow you to revise history and kill our heroes once again," Vesic said, adding that our response is as strong as it was in 1945.

In his speech, Vesic said that we will erect as many monuments as we can and that children will be taught about it.

PHOTO: TANJUG / RADE PRELIC

"We will teach children in schools, print books, make films, cherish the memory of our victims, because we must clearly state who was defeated in the Second World War and who won and brought freedom and an end to destruction to the whole civilization. Serbia is proud of its anti-fascist tradition and its contribution to the victory of the Allies in the Second World War. The Serbs, after the Russians, suffered the greatest losses in the Second World War relative to thes size of the population. The bones of our ancestors are built into the foundations of today's Europe. That is why today, symbolically, at the place where 2,556 soldiers of the People's Liberation Army and 940 Red Army soldiers, who gave their lives for the freedom of Belgrade, rest, we tell the whole world that we are not forgetting, nor will ever forget our history. May the glory of our heroes live forever. Let the flame of love, freedom and brotherhood between the Serbian and the Russian people burn forever," said Vesic, ending his speech by saying, in Russian, "Serbs and Russians - one religion, one history, brothers forever".

The first Eternal Fire in Serbia will be a symbol in memory of the Serbian and Russian soldiers fallen in the battle to liberate Belgrade from German occupiers. The author of this sculptural-architectural composition is Andrei Tirtishnikov, a member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

(Telegraf.rs)