BELGRADE -- Today, on the occasion of celebrating Vidovdan, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, presented decorations to deserving individuals and institutions.
Vučić awarded decorations on the occasion of Vidovdan; "Kosovo made us great" VIDEO
BELGRADE -- Today, on the occasion of celebrating Vidovdan, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, presented decorations to deserving individuals and institutions.
Source: B92
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The award ceremony began at noon in the Palace of Serbia.
"I am proud to stand before you today, not only because of the Vidovdan recognition, but also because I am with people who have done a lot for the unity of our people, as well as for the reputation of our country, our citizens, our society," Vucic said at the beginning of the address.
"The entire history of ours, from Kosovo until today, is being reviewed from the Kosovo observation post. Saint Sava and Prince Lazar are also performing it," Vucic said.
"The image of our reality and the ideals we strive for merge into one place. Kosovo is a central point and is certainly one of the most important issues. Everything that makes up our history, they measure with Vidovdan. That is why our history is magnificent. Bishop Nikolaj said that Kosovo made our nation great", Vucic said. "That morality that we are talking about in every professional field, and here we have actors, policemen, doctors, members of the security service, but also relatives of those who showed how they fight for their lives. May they have eternal glory," Vučić said.
"We have improved the monumental culture, we have built our identity. We have renovated the temple of Saint Sava in Vracar, which is in a way a religious observatory. Monuments to Stefan Nemanja and King Peter the First and Gavrilo Princip, of who we are no longer ashamed, and the despot Stefan. The film 'Dara from Jasenovac' was made. Dear laureates, be proud of the contribution you give to your people," said Vucic.
"Here are the people who brought us joy in sports, enjoyment and joy in culture and art, safety and freedom in the field of internal affairs, here are the people who took care of our health and some of them are not with us, those who paid with their lives for their dedication and we have to express our special gratitude to them, aware of the responsibility and to set an example to the younger generations", said Vučić.
"Let me end this sermon with your exclamation that says you are worthy of it. Thank you, long live Serbia", Vučić concluded his address.
Dodik: This is the crown of my political and life engagement
Milorad Dodik was the first to receive the decoration.
"I see this as a recognition to all my associates and the people of Republika Srpska who elected me," said Dodik.
He stated that he was a witness that Serbia had changed and that today it was stronger, more organized and more powerful, emphasizing that Vučić's contribution to the stabilization and development of the country was undoubted.
He emphasized that it was a period of the best understanding and cooperation between Serbia and Srpska, and that this contribution, as he says, was generated by President Vučić.
Dodik expressed satisfaction that he received the decoration on the occasion of Vidovdan - the "moral historical vertical" of the Serbian people who, as he said, could behave more comfortably throughout history and be condescending to the invasions of invaders, but stood the same in 1389 as 1804, 1914, 1941, but also 1995 and 1999.
"We thought we had to be gathered around what is the golden word of our life, and that is freedom. Freedom must be defended, freedom required sacrifice," Dodik said, adding that Republika Srpska was the result of the Serbian people's struggle for freedom.
As he said, the suffering Serbian people through Jasenovac and many other places of the Second World War did not want to leave their destiny to others again and that is why he decided to create the Republika Srpska which is a reflection of the will and desires of Serbs living in that area.
"We remained different and if we were condescending, then we would not remain Serbs. I see our genesis and what is very important there. RS is a reflection of the will and desire of the people who live there, we are not Bosnian Serbs, we are only Serbs. I am not a nationalist as the liberal world says, no, I just love my people", Dodik said.
"I received many decorations, but I must say that this is the most important thing for me. This is the crown of my political and life engagement," said Dodik. After that, the medal was awarded to Andrija Mandić for advocating for the interests of the Serbian people in Montenegro. Actors Miki Manojlović, Bratislav Petković and Djordje Marjanović (posthumously) were also awarded...
The decorations also went to the National Theater of Pristina in Gracanica and the Kragujevac October Memorial Park. The laureates also include: Mladen Nenadić, Prosecutor for Organized Crime, Dr Zoran Marjanović from KBC "Dragiša Mišović", Dr Svetlana Dimić, Dr Danijela Čelić, Dr Radmila Amanović Ćuruvija, Dr Tija Apostolović, Dr Bojana Munćan, Dr Dragan Stanojević, Sladjana Mijaljković, Zoran Markovic, Milan Nikolic, Dr Snezana Kovacevic, Dr Miodrag Pavlovic, Dr Milos Rankovic, Maja Iskic, Ivanka Vasic, Dr Ruzica Radojevic Marjanovic, Dr Vladan Cvetanovic, Dr Milos Bozovic, Dr Rade Mijailovic, Dr Jasmina Osmanovic, Dr Nermina Fekovic, Mira Pešić;
Aleksandar Gatalica, Eva Ras, Oliver Mandić, Radmilo Armenulić, Andrej Kavšek, Ljubomir Aleksol, Vladimir Lagunov, Goran Despić, Milorad Arlov, posthumously Aleksandar Sanja Ilić, Desimir Stanojević, Božana Jovanić, Aleksandar Vasić were awarded the Gold Medal of Merit.
Sekler: Today 's "Kosovo battle" is a fight against COVID-19
Sekler said that today's fight between medics and coronavirus is difficult and uncertain.
"I had a special part to address you... Vidovdan was yesterday, today I ask you to imagine how the night after that day went and how the morning dawned, while the dead were lying on all sides. On Vidovdan, a battle took place on Kosovo, it lasted only one day, and the consequences have been seen for years. Even today, the fight with COVID-19 is like that, only later do we see the consequences," said Dr Milanko Sekler.
He added that our people do not believe in anything they do not see with their own eyes, but that this is an invisible enemy. "Sometimes I wish the coron virus was at least the size of a louse, so everyone would believe in it. Unlike the Kosovo girl who worked on the open space, I would say she came out when the bloody feast passed, today's doctors are fighting directly with the enemy. So, you know, today's 'Kosovo battle' is taking place at every step, at gatherings, weddings and celebrations all over Serbia, and then doctors are fighting the consequences and trying to save lives," Sekler said.
The gold medal for bravery was awarded to: Sasa Ivanic, Deputy Prosecutor for Organized Crime, Zoran Babic, Deputy Prosecutor for Organized Crime, Veselin Milic, Assistant Director of Police and Chief of Police for the City of Belgrade, Bogdan Pusic, Ninoslav Cmolic, Miomir Pajic.
The silver medal was awarded to: Dragan Ivanović, Slobodan Rašeta, Rade Savić, Blagoje Simić, Goran Vidaković, Vladimir Nikolov, Branislav Pavlović, Marko Mišić, Andrija Nikolić, Ivana Mileusnić, Zoran Savić.
Gatalica: All my life I have been pointing out that I belong to the Serbian people
Aleksandar Gatalica said that he always proudly pointed out that he belonged to the Serbian people.
"We know who we worked for and we know that it was not easy, but today, when we receive awards, we know that we worked for the country and that it all made sense. I am sure we are doing that today by improving our professions, building bridges where there were none. I spent most of my life showing that I belong to a hard-working and intelligent people. I would like that job to be finished, but it's not and we all have to work on it," Gatalica said.
