“That is at the same time a constant reminder of the strength and perseverance man has when fighting for a just cause. They did not ask how strong the enemy is because they knew it could not be stronger than their love for freedom and the motherland”, said Gojkovic.

Gojkovic said that this is year of big jubilees, when we celebrate the victory in WWI and the addition of Srem, Banat, Backa, Baranja to the Kingdom of Serbia, and added that by remembering our glorious ancestors tonight here in Kikinda, we honour them.

“By honouring them, we honour the long coveted freedom they brought to this city a hundred years ago, the day when, heroically, the immortal Iron Regiment under the command of colonel Dragutin Ristic brought that freedom and the realization of an old dream over Pancevo, Kovacica, Grand Betchkerek, today’s Zrenjanin, and Becej to Kikinda”, said Gojkovic.

Gojkovic stressed that the people of Kikinda showed great courage and dedication and in the moment crucial for the future Kikinda gave 1,700 volunteers, mentioning that at the Grant National Assembly in Novi Sad when the historic and most important decision of the 20th century was made the freedom-loving city was represented by 16 delegates – peasants, tradesmen, professors, priests who were all part of the national effort to achieve the centuries-old wish of incorporation into the Kingdom of Serbia.
Gojkovic reminded the attending that in WWI Serbia lost 1,247,435 people, making a disproportionately large sacrifice for its freedom and the freedom of Europe and the world.

“It is hard to describe the hardships of the soldiers, suffering of women, children and the elderly who retreated with the king and the military through the Albanian rocks, or the ones who, by staying in Serbia, were killed or lived under the constant threat of death by the occupiers. It is equally hard to count all the graves of Serbian soldiers from Bizerte and Algeria, in the waves of Vido to Zeytinlik, as well as the graves in the then Austro-Hungary and Bulgaria where they died in captivity dreaming of the motherland”, said Gojkovic.

Gojkovic said that the Serbian people had been dealt the bitter and hard historic lessons that the best way to defend themselves from danger lies in unity, unity which they showed a 100 years ago, which is still vital today in order to achieve Serbia’s national priorities, progress and development in modern times.

Gojkovic stressed that Serbia is proud of its history, which may have been harsh and terrible, but was forged by honourable, honest and brave people, which is why today we have to keep their memory alive as well as the memory of the glorious past which, as was obvious in the celebration of the end of WWI in Paris, many do not have.

The Serbian Assembly Speaker said that Serbia still has no bigger interest or more important mission than to keep its hard-won freedom, peace and stability in today’s complex geopolitical circumstances and unstable surroundings.

Gojkovic said it is our duty to develop the country led by the ideals of freedom, independence, striving for full equality, development and progress of all of or citizens, which is the way to invest into future generations.

“That is why with every new road we build, every new factory we open, every new school or hospital we construct, every success we achieve we pay back those who gave their lives so we can live here today”, said Gojkovic