PATRIARCH PORFIRIJE: REMEMBER THE SUFFERING OF SERBS IN OPERATION STORM

SREMSKI KARLOVCI, AUGUST 3 /SRNA/ – His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbian has stated this evening in Sremski Karlovci that Serbs experienced terrible persecution during Operation Storm, being forced to leave their centuries-old homes, emphasizing the importance of remembering the Serb victims.

The Patriarch stressed that a message of love is being sent from Sremski Karlovci, that Serbs should follow the path of Saint Sava and remain united. “Tonight in Sremski Karlovci, we are gathered out of love for those who arrived in Serbia during the terrible persecution called 'Operation Storm,' coming from their centuries-old homes in Dalmatia, Lika, Kordun, Banija... They suffered because they carried the cross, as carrying the cross is our destiny,” the patriarch said. According to the patriarch, we pray to those who bore the cross of martyrdom, for peace among us and peace in the world. “Let us remember the victims of our people, but let us not harbor resentment,” His Holiness stated. The patriarch of Serbia ucalled on all spiritual descendants of Saint Sava to love their neighbors and not allow themselves to be consumed by hatred, which always breeds more hatred and leads to a spiral of evil. His Holiness urged Serbs, especially in times of great challenges, to rise above narrow, selfish, and especially ideological interests, and to overcome divisions and discord. Attending the commemoration were the Presidents of Republika Srpska and Serbia, Milorad Dodik and Aleksandar Vučić; the Serb member of the BiH, Željka Cvijanović; Speakers of the Assemblies Nenad Stevandić and Ana Brnabić; Prime Ministers Radovan Višković of Srpska and Đuro Macut of Serbia; and ministers of both governments. Also present were Milan Knežević, Leader of the Democratic People's Party from Montenegro; Ivan Stoilković, Deputy Prime Mimister of the Government and Leader of the Democratic Party of Serbs in North Macedonia; Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community in Serbia Isak Asiel; representatives of the Serbian Army; and many Krajina people. The programme titled “Storm is a Pogrom – We Remember Forever” is taking place at Branko Radičević Square, in the presence of the top officials from Republika Srpska and Serbia. The criminal Operation Storm began on August 4, 1995, with an offensive by the Croatian Army and Police, along with HVO units, in the areas of Banija, Lika, Kordun, and north Dalmatia. The next day, August 5, Croatian forces entered the nearly abandoned town of Knin and raised the Croatian flag, while convoys of refugees were crossing Serb-controlled territories in BiH heading toward Serbia. According to "Veritas", more than 220,000 Serbs were expelled during the Storm. 1,903 names are registered as killed or missing during and after the operation - of whom 1,247 /66%/ were civilians, around three-quarters of whom were over 60 years old. The International Court of Justice, in its February 2015 verdict, classified Operation Storm as ethnic cleansing but not as genocide, although global experts in the field argue that the operation had all the elements of genocide.