Source N1: Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabic addressed the gathering in the US Congress on Wednesday marking the centennial of Serbia’s flag flying above the White House, saying that “this memorable event from July 28th of 1918 honoured Serbia’s ultimate sacrifice in The Great War.”
“Today, we remember a unique event, when a hundred years ago Serbian flag flew above the White House – the privilege given only twice in the history of the United States - to Serbia, and France, “ Brnabic told the gathering.
She added that “today’s world is not the same as the world one hundred years ago, but we still face profound challenges – challenges that I think we should address together, hand in hand, as we did before.”
“I stand here today, to thank you on behalf of Serbia, deeply grateful for that support, and empathy of your brave leaders, a hundred years ago,” Prime Minister said.
She added that, as so many times in the past, Serbia then defended freedom and liberty so deeply loved, cherished and protected by both Serbia’s and America’s nations.
Brnabic said that “in the Great War, from 1914 to 1918, Serbia lost more than a quarter of its population. Our entire army, government and a significant part of the population had to withdraw from our homeland in 1915, and go to Corfu.”
She reminded the gathering of Milenko Vesnic, “a Serbian diplomat and statesman, who had an opportunity to address both Senate and the House of Representatives here in Washington in 1918, on the same day when President Wilson proclaimed his Programme for the world’s peace.”
„We (Serbia) believe in peace, but we equally believe in justice and freedom,“ Brnabic quoted Vesnic as saying back then.
“Little has changed since; Serbian people still equally believe in peace, justice and freedom, as we had proven again, during the Second World War, when we fought side by side with those, including the United States of America, who believed in life, and not death; in freedom and not suppression; in the equality and not supremacy,” Brnabic said.
She added that “joint moments from our history, both the ones from the First World War, and the ones from the Second World War – influence our present, and shape our future.”
Brnabic said that the people of Serbia would never forget the (US) support and the two countries’ common struggle.
“My message today for all of you here, and for the people and leaders of the United States, is that, together, we can reach those heights again.”
Serbia’s Prime Minister said that a lot of work had to be done to get back where the two nations had been “not only one hundred years ago, but throughout our common history, up until some 30 years ago when our traditional partnership and support for each other for the first time started to be questioned.”
Brnabic referred to the break-up of former Yugoslavia and the fact that the US had recognised the independence of Slovenia and Croatia, the first two ex-republics that declared independence which Belgrade did not accept and a four-year-long bloody conflict that claimed over 100,000 lives erupted, reaching its climax in Bosnia.
The war ended in 1995 when the warring sides signed a peace deal known as the Dayton agreement after the US town where the negotiations were held and the deal finalised.
Nevertheless, Brnabic called on both countries “to continuously promote a more fruitful and prosperous relationship between the United States and Serbia. Today, and in the future.”
“I invite all of you, who are here with us today, remembering the great friendship and solidarity between our ancestors, to continue to work on deepening of our bilateral relations,” she said.
Following her speech, Brnabic presented a medal awarded by Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic to US Congressman Ted Poe.
“In the years behind us, you worked tirelessly, and with passion, to promote friendship between our two nations, and strengthen our ties,” Brnabic said decorated Congressman Poe with the medal.
Brnabic has been in the US for several days and has met with a number of the officials.
Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic is also on the visit to the United States.
The U.S. Embassy in Serbia made a TV spot to commemorate Mihajlo Pupin and the 100th anniversary of the flying of the Serbian flag over the White House.
Relations between Serbia and the United States of America during World War I, the “Great War,” were as friendly allies. July 28, 1918, however, was especially important for Serbs and Americans. On this day America marked the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the Great War, when, according to the words of U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing, “honorable Serbian people were forced to defend their country and their homes against an enemy who wanted to destroy them,” and when the Serbian people, “sacrificed everything for freedom and independence," said Mr Kyle Scott, American Ambassador to Belgrade yesterday talking to Radio Belgrade.
Americans clearly expressed their support and sympathy for the Serbian people from the very beginning of the Great War. During 1914, 1915 and 1916, enormous financial support and thousands of tons of humanitarian aid were provided to the Serbian people from the United States. There was money for food for civilians, for refugees, to fight typhoid, seed to plant for the next harvest, agricultural tools, and even funding to lease refugee transport ships.
