65th anniversary of the Syrmian Front breakthrough marked

Commemoration and paying respect to the dead were held at the memorial complex in Adaševci near Šid, marking today the 65th anniversary of the Syrmian Front breakthrough. The ceremonies were attended by Minister of Defence Dragan Šutanovac, Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic, Chief of Serbian Armed Forces General Staff Lt Gen Miloje Miletic, representatives of SUBNOR, veterans of the People’s Liberation Army, diplomatic and military diplomatic representatives of the countries whose troops participated in the battles of the Syrmian Front, as well as of the allied countries.

Minister Šutanovac said that the fight of the People’s Liberation Army in the Syrmian Front was characterised by patriotism and a desire to create a society based on the principles of freedom, independence, equality, and above all, the respect for human rights and sovereignty of every state.

- Considering the country and the population, Serbia has undoubtedly made a very big contribution to the victories of the Allies in both the First and the Second World War and thus incorporated itself in the foundations of the modern Europe – Šutanovac said. He stressed that Serbia wanted to put wars and destruction behind itself and to establish a civil society based on respect for human rights, freedoms and the rule of law.

The Minister stressed that Serbia wanted to build good neighbourly relations with the countries of the region and to become a member of the European family of nations. Although Serbia is not at a military danger at the beginning of the 21st century, the Minister of Defence said, there are modern challenges, risks and threats that endanger all the countries in the world. Since there is no country that can protect itself from such threats alone, Serbia, according to him, wishes to take part in keeping global peace with friends and partners in the world.

- Today, when are we celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Syrmian Front breakthrough we appeal for peace and understanding among peoples, religions and countries – said the Minister of Defence.

At the ceremony of marking the anniversary of the Syrmian Front breakthrough, the guests were addressed by Mayor of Šid Nataša Cvijetkovic and President of the Republic Committee of SUBNOR of the Republic of Serbia, Slavko Popovic.

At the Syrmian Front Memorial complex in Adaševci wreaths were laid by Defence Minister Dragan Šutanovac, Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic, representatives of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the municipality of Šid, SUBNOR, as well as the representatives of the embassies of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Macedonia.

It was for the first time that the wreaths at the memorial complex to fallen soldiers were laid by the representatives of the embassies of Germany, Italy and France.

Soldiers of the Yugoslav Army and its allies fought from 21 October 1944 to 12 April 1945 at the Syrmian Front, penetrating multiple enemy lines with great number of casualties and thus substantially contributed to the successful completion of fight for the final liberation of the country in the Second World War.

About two hundred fifty thousand soldiers participated in the battle from both sides. Besides the units of the Yugoslav Army, the troops of the Red Army and the Bulgarian People's Army, as well as the brigade “Italy”, participated in it.

In the hard-fought battles about thirteen and a half thousand Yugoslav soldiers, mostly young men from Serbia and Montenegro, a thousand members of the Red Army, six hundred and thirty members of the Bulgarian People's Army, and one hundred sixty-three Italians from the composition of the Yugoslav units were killed. On the side of the enemy about thirty thousand soldiers were killed.