Printer Friendly Version Celebration of the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia at the Embassy in Bern @ 26 February 2024 11:22 AM

The ceremony began with the intonation of the National Anthems of Serbia, Switzerland and Liechtenstein sung by soprano Danijela Bjelica, accompanied by violinist Tatjana Vucelić, after which Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in the Swiss Confederation Goran Bradić.

In his speech, Ambassador Bradić emphasized the importance of the “Sretenje” in the history of the Republic of Serbia and pointed out some current geopolitical challenges and the most important results of Serbia in recent years in the fields of economy, finance, science and research. He also emphasized the importance of the "leap into the future of Serbia" project and the organization of the international exhibition "Expo 2027" in Belgrade, and finally called on the diaspora for unity, harmony and support for the country, and above all for our compatriots in Kosovo and Metohija.

He underlined the importance of respecting international law and the UN Charter, as well as the necessity to avoid the application of double standards and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all internationally recognized countries. Ambassador accentuated that more than 470 ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs, their private property and Serbian churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija have been registered since the arrival of A. Kurti to head the temporary institutions in Pristina in February 2021. He pointed out that due to the repressive measures and systematic terror of the temporary institutions in Pristina, 14% of Serbs left the territory of Kosovo and Metohija last year alone. H.E. Ambassador Bradić stressed that sincere and effective help from the EU and the USA is needed to fulfill the provisions of the agreements reached so far with Pristina, for which Serbia has been waiting for more than ten years.

Ambassador Bradić thanked the Serbian diaspora in Switzerland for the help that it has provided and continues to provide to the homeland in the past years and decades, as well as for the struggle to preserve the Serbian language, history, tradition, customs and our religion and culture, and expressed his wish that in the future more of our children attend supplementary classes in the Serbian language and religious studies in Switzerland. The reception was attended by about 130 guests from the diplomatic corps, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, the Ministry of the Interior, economic associations, international organizations in Bern, journalists, artists, as well as the diaspora.

The ceremony began with the intonation of the National Anthems of Serbia, Switzerland and Liechtenstein sung by soprano Danijela Bjelica, accompanied by violinist Tatjana Vucelic, after which Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in the Swiss Confederation Goran Bradić.