Serbia Marks the Anniversary of the Criminal Military Operation “Storm”

In August 1995, a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing was conducted, during which approximately 250,000 Serbs were expelled from their centuries-old homes, and around 2,000 persons—many of them civilians, women, and the elderly—lost their lives. These facts must neither be forgotten nor relativized.

At the initiative of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, since 2014, Serbia, the Republic of Srpska, and the Serbian people have been jointly and with dignity commemorating this day as one of remembrance, reverence, and warning. Serbia remains committed to preserving historical memory, honoring every victim, and upholding the lasting pursuit of peace, truth, and justice.

It is particularly concerning that, nearly three decades after Operation “Storm”, we continue to witness rhetoric of hatred and intolerance, as well as increasingly frequent discourse that fosters ethnic division. Unfortunately, such phenomena are neither isolated nor sporadic—they reflect a broader societal atmosphere that runs counter to the fundamental values upon which Europe is built.

Further concern is caused by the fact that, in the Republic of Croatia, this event is still marked in a celebratory and triumphalist tone, with no recognition of the suffering of the victims and without a genuine effort toward acknowledgment. Such an approach does not contribute to reconciliation, nor does it foster mutual trust or stability in the region. Ignoring the suffering of an entire people creates space for historical revisionism and undermines the universal values upon which every democratic and peaceful order should rest.

Despite all of this, the Serbian people remain steadfast and dignified in their pursuit of truth, justice, and the right to remembrance. We firmly believe that facing the past is not a path toward deepening divisions, but a foundation of historical responsibility and a prerequisite for any genuine dialogue. The Serbian people, wherever they may live, have the right to remember, to speak the truth, and to take pride in their identity and perseverance through history. In the name of the future of the Serbian people, we will never cease to speak about the past—so that tragedies such as “Storm” are never repeated again.