Request to remove the beach chairs from Vido Island: "Serbs cannot be tourists here, only pilgrims"

Photo: telegraf.rs

The curator of the Serbian House in Corfu, Ljubomir Saramandic, stated today that he believes that beach chairs and parasols placed on the island of Vido near Corfu, Greece, will be removed very soon and pointed out that an ugly image should not be created over this, because Corfu residents perceive monuments dedicated to Serbians as part of their own history.

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He said that when he heard that the beach chairs had been set up, he went to the island, took photos and that a letter was sent to the Embassy, and the Consulate of Serbia in Corfu, the mayor of Corfu, Meropi Ydraiou, and that he believes the beach chairs would be removed soon.

"I do not want to create the wrong impression. On the contrary. In the 20 years I have been here, all 10 monuments dedicated to Serbian soldiers have been in good condition and none have ever been damaged. Greeks perceive that as a part of their own history," said Saramandic.

He explained that this decision was made because a group of councilors in the assembly of the municipality of Corfu used the moment to create a little pleasure for themselves, but they did not appreciate the symbolism that the island of Vido has. He added that he does not know whether the municipality knows about their decision.

As he said, such things happened last year and three or four years ago, when owners of a restaurant installed chairs and parasols but they were quickly removed, which is why in September last year, the Embassy of Serbia together with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Issues, reached agreement that there would be no hospitality establishments on a stretch from the port to the mausoleum.

"Serbians cannot be tourists here, only pilgrims. At that meeting, it was agreed that Serbia, in cooperation with Corfu, would reconstruct a road and that there would be no tourist facilities on it, because that is in collision with the feelings of the visitors," Saramandic said.

He added that a guard at the mausoleum on Vido was appointed 15 years ago, who has so far been warning random swimmers not to swim there.

According to Saramandic, the only solution is to put up a large board on Vido that explains the history of the island in several languages ​​and warn everyone who would try to swim or have a vacation on this island.

During the First World War, there was a hospital on the island of Vido where Serbian soldiers were treated after going through the retreat through the Balkan mountains, what's known as "the Albanian Golgotha" - and 2,764 Serbian soldiers died and were buried in the mausoleum located there. A large number of our other solider soldiers were buried at sea near the island, in what is known as "the Blue Tomb."

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)