Montenegro sends chargé d'affaires to mark the 31st anniversary in Knin, while Serbia observes the Day of Remembrance for Serbs killed and expelled. PM Macut says victims must not be forgotten.
Montenegro will send its chargé d'affaires from its embassy in Croatia to the commemoration of the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm in Knin, as confirmed by Montenegro's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the portal Vijesti.me. This decision has sparked a sharp and sarcastic reaction from Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
From Montenegro's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Ervin Ibrahimović of the Bosniak Party, they state that the presence of their diplomatic representative at the celebration of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day is in line with common practice among neighboring countries and NATO allies.
"The presence of an embassy representative is part of regular diplomatic practice and is an expression of respect for the host country and its official state commemorations, while simultaneously reaffirming Montenegro's commitment to fostering good neighborly relations, dialogue, mutual respect, and regional cooperation," the Ministry stated.
This marks a change from last year, when Montenegro's Ministry of Defense declined the invitation. That decision was made by Minister Dragan Krapović of the Democrats party, with the explanation that "the historical and regional context" and "the sensitivity that the topic of Operation Storm carries" were taken into account. This year, the Ministry of Defense did not respond to inquiries about whether it received an invitation and whether it would attend the event in Knin.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić reacted strongly to the news from Podgorica during an appearance on RTS's morning news program. In his address, he first commented on the military strength of the two countries. "Today, the Croatian army is not stronger than ours; that's all I can say," Vučić stated.
He then turned to the Montenegrin government's decision, not hiding his sarcasm. "Official Montenegro is participating in the celebration of Operation Storm, but sent no one to the commemorative event for the Serbs killed in Mrkonjić Grad. Thank you to the government of Montenegro. This is not the end but the beginning of such decisions," Vučić said, adding that Serbia must provide support to the Serb people in Montenegro.
On the same day, a commemoration for the killed Serbs was held in Mrkonjić Grad.
On the Day of Remembrance for all Serbs killed or expelled in Operation Storm, Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut also spoke out. In a statement released by the Serbian government, Macut emphasized that Serbia remembers all innocent victims with sorrow and deep respect, as well as the hundreds of thousands of people who were forced to leave their homes.
"Their suffering must not be forgotten, as remembering the victims is our moral obligation and the truth is the foundation of any genuine reconciliation," Macut said, adding that peace does not mean forgetting. "Peace is the strength to remember, to honor our victims and to responsibly build a future in which such tragedies will never happen again," concluded the Serbian Prime Minister.
Operation Storm began in the early morning hours of August 4, 1995, with an offensive by the Croatian army and police, along with units of the Croatian Defense Council. The attack targeted the regions of Banija, Kordun, Lika, and northern Dalmatia, which were then part of the internationally unrecognized Republic of Serbian Krajina. The operation resulted in the exodus of more than 200,000 Serbs from Croatia.
