DODIK: DEATH OF 12 BABIES A NATIONAL TRAGEDY AND ETERNAL GLOBAL POWERS' SHAME AND SIN

BANJA LUKA, MAY 22 /SRNA/ – The President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik has emphasized that the death of 12 newborn babies in Banja Luka is a national tragedy for the Serb people, and an eternal shame and sin of the global powers whose evil hand denied a life-saving flight for these innocent lives.

"The strength of a nation is first measured in its maternity wards and by the number of newborns. On May 22, 1992, that strength of ours was extinguished in the Banja Luka maternity hospital when a crime above all crimes was committed - when small, innocent beings were denied, by the will of heartless foreigners, their right to take their first breath and their right to live," President Dodik said in a statement to SRNA, marking 33 years since the deaths of 12 babies in the former Clinical Centre Banja Luka, who died due to the refusal of global powers to allow oxygen transport. Dodik underlined that oxygen was the only salvation for the innocent children's souls, who were fighting for life and breath, unaware that there were evil people in this world who would deny them that right out of sheer arbitrariness. "They were killing us, bombed us, tried to destroy us - but today we stand proud by the graves of these children, our greatest little yet great heroes of the past Defensive-Patriotic War. The only thing we can say today to those inhumane people who took it upon themselves to decide who lives and who dies is this - we will never forgive you for the children, nor will we ever forget," President Dodik declared. Today, Banja Luka marks 33 years since the death of the 12 babies in the former Clinical Centrer, who died due to the refusal of the global powers to allow the transport of oxygen. A thirteenth baby died 13 years later, while the fourteenth survived but was left with severe mental and physical disabilities. Due to a UN Security Council decision in May and June 1992, international flights were banned – including those carrying oxygen tanks from Belgrade to Banja Luka – leading to the deaths of 12 newborns who were in incubators.