French medals presented to Serbian officers

In the course of the Commemorative ceremony at the French military cemetery in Belgrade, on the occasion of 11 November - Armistice Day in the Great World War, today, members of the Serbian Armed Forces who participated in the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSCA) in the Central African Republic were presented with the French Medal of National Defence.

French Defence Attaché in Belgrade Lt. Col. Olivier Rouanet presented the French medals to Colonel Milivoje Pajovic, Colonel Dr. Nikola Zec, Lt. Col. Miroslav Veselinovic and Majors Dragan Selimovic and Dejan Djuric.

Colonel Pajovic stressed that "today, the French medals on the Serbian uniforms shine with a special glow."

- They remind us that our ancestors bravely died for freedom, but also say that we should bravely live in our Serbia, our France, our Europe. The medals will remind us of the days when, far away from Belgrade and Paris, we strengthened our alliance and friendship - Colonel Pajovic said.

French Ambassador in Belgrade Christine Moro pointed out that 11 November is a day when we should pay respects not only to the soldiers who died during the Great War, but also to those who have given their lives for the fatherland during all the conflict so far.

- This brotherhood in arms does not only belong to the past, it is also part of today. I am therefore particularly happy that today's ceremony is also an opportunity for the five SAF officers who were on a mission in the Central African Republic to be handed over the French Order for engagement with their French comrades. They have thus written a new page of our close friendship - Ambassador Moro said.

The Embassy of France, like every year, has organized the traditional commemorative ceremony at the French military cemetery in Belgrade in honour of 11 November. After the anthems of Serbia and France were sung by the children from the choir of the French School in Belgrade, the Ambassadors of France and Germany laid wreaths.

A number of ambassadors or their representatives, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy, representatives of the City of Belgrade, associations that foster the memory of the period of liberation wars of Serbia also laid wreaths and thus paid tribute to fallen soldiers.