The 26th Anniversary of the beginning of NATO Aggression commemorated

Opening the panel discussion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia,  Marko Đurić emphasized that the bombing, which began on this day 26 years ago, represents one of the turning points in modern international relations. He stated that the aggression was not only a prime example of the violation of international norms but also an attack on the foundations of the security architecture on our continent, the consequences of which are still felt today.

"Some of the tragic consequences of this aggression are felt by our compatriots in Kosovo and Metohija, who, even today, are going through an existential ordeal. Despite the investments and efforts made in the last 26 years, their numbers, unfortunately, continue to decrease, thanks to the unilateral and malicious, I will say openly, actions of the institutions in Priština," said Đurić.

The Minister also recalled that despite the code of conduct exempting diplomats from armed and violent actions, his colleague Nenad Nikolić tragically lost his life on April 30, 1999, during a rocket attack on the Government building complex while guarding the facility.

Đurić spoke about the numerous challenges faced by our diplomats abroad before, during, and after the aggression, stressing that thanks to the dedicated work and commitment of the staff, diplomatic activities were not only continued during the wartime period but also strengthened and carried on in the years that followed.

He added that Serbian diplomacy is still engaged in overcoming the situations that arose during the aggression.

"Today, we find ourselves at a new crossroads in the modern history of Serbian diplomatic organization, which demands that we strengthen, modernize, and adapt our institutional capacities to the needs of the era we are in. Therefore, we will continue, guided by patriotism and the state-building Serbian idea, to strengthen the institutional capacities of Serbian diplomacy," Minister Đurić concluded.

Former Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanović and Ambassador Nebojša Rodić shared their direct experiences from that period. Rodić presented an exhibition of his photographs, serving as a material testament to the brutal physical endangerment of Serbian diplomacy. These photos were taken on May 8, 1999, when, during the bombing of the General Staff, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia suffered considerable damage.