Zeman explained: Why did he apologize to the Serbian people?

President of the Czech Republic Zeman said that by asking Serbian people for forgiveness for the NATO aggression in 1999, he got rid of the long-lasting trauma.

Source: B92
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EPA-EFE/ MARTIN DIVISEK
EPA-EFE/ MARTIN DIVISEK

The text entitled "I apologize to the Serbian people" was published on Facebook by the press secretary of the President Zeman, Jiří Ovčáček.

"We talked with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, about the traditional Czech-Serbian friendship, which manifested itself, for example, in 1938, when we were betrayed by our Western allies, and also in 1968, when we were betrayed by our Eastern allies. In both cases, the Serbian people expressed their support for us. And we responded by bombing," Zeman said.

"That is why I want to take the opportunity to apologize on my own behalf for the bombing of the former Yugoslavia. And I would like, as a person, to ask Serbian people for forgiveness. It bothered me all this time, so I have eased my soul", he added.

At the same time, Zeman reminded that the Czech Republic was a member of NATO for only a few weeks at the time of the decision to bomb Yugoslavia.

"We were the last (from NATO countries) to give our consent for the bombing and we desperately asked for at least one country to join us and oppose the attack, but we were left alone. But that still does not justify us because it was a manifestation of lack of courage. With this apology and asking for forgiveness, I freed myself from years of trauma, because remorse liberates and, as the Latins said, dixi et salvavi animam meam - "I have spoken and saved my soul"," Zeman said.

The Czech Republic was admitted to NATO on March 12, 1999, and 12 days later the bombing of the then Yugoslavia by the forces of the North Atlantic Alliance began.

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