National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
6 October 2016 Third Sitting of the Committee on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Third Sitting of the Committee on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region
At the sitting held on 6 October, the members of the Committee on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region considered one item on the agenda - protection of the culture of memory of Serbian victims of genocide and the Holocaust victims.
The sitting was opened by Committee Chairman MA Ivan Kostic who said that the sitting marks a historic day for the National Assembly House because it is dedicated to the suffering of Serbs who had in the 20th century been the object of systematic destruction.
“Promoting a strategy of prevention of genocide in both internal and foreign policy through education, the media and cultural projects, as well as through legislative initiatives which should be launched in the National Assembly, is the task of all relevant institutions”, stressed Kostic.
The attending were greeted by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Veroljub Arsic who said that everybody should do their bit to prevent the rewriting of the history of the victims of WWII because that would, he stressed, be a new crime. Arsic commended the initiative to protect the culture of memory of the victims of genocide and the Holocaust.
On the behalf of the Serbian Government the gathering was addressed by Vladimir Bozovic, PM’s advisor for regional cooperation and relations with religious communities. He stressed that the Government is taking active part in the protection of the culture of memory of the Holocaust victims and announced the opening of a national complex where, when visiting Serbia, foreign dignitaries could lay wreaths and honour the victims fallen to protect the motherland. He also emphasised the importance of passing the proposal of the declaration on crimes committed against Serbs, Jews and Roma in NDH (Independent State of Croatia).
Committee Deputy Chairman Miodrag Linta endorsed the Government’s initiative to open the memorial complex stressing the need to compile a list of 20th century war victims.
In his keynote address, Secretary General of the President of the Republic of Serbia Nedeljko Tenjovic said that by visiting Pope Francis in Vatican President Tomislav Nikolic prevented the canonisation of Alojzije Stepinac, and added that all who fight to protect the memory of the victims of genocide and the Holocaust have the President’s full support. The attending were also addressed by Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Veljko Odalovic and Prof. Dr Gideon Greif, chief historian of the Israeli Shem Olam Holocaust Institute. Their address was followed by the film “Jasenovac - The Truth”.
The Committee Chairman announced that one of the coming sittings will deal with:
- the declaration on crimes committed against Serbs, Jews and Roma in NDH,
- institution of a memorial day for Serbian suffering,
- introduction of symbols to remind of the suffering of Serbs
- establishment of a memorial centre.
The sitting was attended by numerous high dignitaries, representatives of the religious and academic communities, diplomatic corps and the non-governmental sector.
“Promoting a strategy of prevention of genocide in both internal and foreign policy through education, the media and cultural projects, as well as through legislative initiatives which should be launched in the National Assembly, is the task of all relevant institutions”, stressed Kostic.
The attending were greeted by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Veroljub Arsic who said that everybody should do their bit to prevent the rewriting of the history of the victims of WWII because that would, he stressed, be a new crime. Arsic commended the initiative to protect the culture of memory of the victims of genocide and the Holocaust.
On the behalf of the Serbian Government the gathering was addressed by Vladimir Bozovic, PM’s advisor for regional cooperation and relations with religious communities. He stressed that the Government is taking active part in the protection of the culture of memory of the Holocaust victims and announced the opening of a national complex where, when visiting Serbia, foreign dignitaries could lay wreaths and honour the victims fallen to protect the motherland. He also emphasised the importance of passing the proposal of the declaration on crimes committed against Serbs, Jews and Roma in NDH (Independent State of Croatia).
Committee Deputy Chairman Miodrag Linta endorsed the Government’s initiative to open the memorial complex stressing the need to compile a list of 20th century war victims.
In his keynote address, Secretary General of the President of the Republic of Serbia Nedeljko Tenjovic said that by visiting Pope Francis in Vatican President Tomislav Nikolic prevented the canonisation of Alojzije Stepinac, and added that all who fight to protect the memory of the victims of genocide and the Holocaust have the President’s full support. The attending were also addressed by Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Veljko Odalovic and Prof. Dr Gideon Greif, chief historian of the Israeli Shem Olam Holocaust Institute. Their address was followed by the film “Jasenovac - The Truth”.
The Committee Chairman announced that one of the coming sittings will deal with:
- the declaration on crimes committed against Serbs, Jews and Roma in NDH,
- institution of a memorial day for Serbian suffering,
- introduction of symbols to remind of the suffering of Serbs
- establishment of a memorial centre.
The sitting was attended by numerous high dignitaries, representatives of the religious and academic communities, diplomatic corps and the non-governmental sector.