Serbia marks 85th anniversary of resistance fighters' execution at Terazije

A ceremony was held at Terazije to mark the 85th anniversary of the execution of five resistance fighters by Nazi occupation authorities on August 17, 1941. The victims, identified as Svetislav Milin, Ratko Jević, Jovan Janković, Milorad Pokrajac, and Velimir Jovanović, were executed in the courtyard of a Gestapo building, and their bodies were hung in public to intimidate the population and suppress resistance.

Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, the Minister of Labor, Veteran and Social Affairs, laid a wreath on behalf of the Serbian Government. During the commemoration, which included a memorial service held for the first time this year, she emphasized that the men were united by a desire for freedom rather than a specific political ideology. She noted that the monument dedicated to them was unveiled in 1983 and urged the preservation of the culture of remembrance for younger generations. The Minister also warned against the resurgence of ideologies that led to fascism and Nazism, stressing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and military neutrality.