His Eminence Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joanikije, and His Eminence Bishop of Diocletia, Mr. Paisij, served today, with the clergy, in the Cetinje Monastery, a memorial service for all those who suffered during the NATO aggression against our country in 1999.
In his speech, His Eminence Metropolitan Joanikije emphasized the sacrifice and merits made for their Fatherland by soldiers, innocent civilian victims, as well as the victims of the Murina war and children.
"We remember and we do not forget. We remember those days of horror of NATO aggression against our homeland. We remember the whistling of shells and bombs above our heads and the destruction of our homeland, and the terrible injustice that occurred at the hands of those who were recently our allies. True, there were among them those who had trampled our homeland on several occasions before in the First and Second World Wars. We are a people who also survived the Allied bombing. We remembered all of this when we experienced a new bombing by those who had trampled us before, but, unfortunately, also by former allies," said the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral.
He emphasized that the aggression of the NATO pact occurred in violation of international law.
"That's when international law died and many didn't think about it. Those who have power, their thinking is determined by power, so they didn't think about the consequences. And once a principle is violated, not only of international law but also of conscience and morality, it is paid for dearly and causes major, planetary consequences. And it will take a long time for this world to return to normal and to gain confidence in the so-called international law," said Bishop Joanikije.
Metropolitan Joanikije said that we especially remember the heroes who opposed this injustice.
"In essence, our entire people, both in Serbia and Montenegro and in other Serbian countries and in the diaspora, opposed this evil, although the power of the allied NATO countries, which have so many weapons and so many technical advantages, was much greater, but we had a greater will to oppose evil. We were not afraid of such a force, even though it took many lives and destroyed all the best that we had built in previous decades: bridges and buildings and hospitals and homes. And the most terrible thing is that, in addition to soldiers in uniform and with weapons, many civilians also died," he recalled.
The commemoration we are making for them, said Metropolitan Joanikije, is being made on the days of the Resurrection of Christ, as we will this year.
"Last year, we marked twenty-five years since the suffering of innocent victims in Murina and the destruction of Murina and the famous Murina Bridge, which had such great significance in our history. We in Montenegro admired the heroic deeds of our heroes and, thank God, Montenegro also gave birth to heroes during this time. There were also soldiers from other Serbian countries who suffered in Montenegro and the first NATO victim was in the Danilovgrad barracks where Saša Stajić, a soldier serving his military service from Serbia, died. We have a list here, we do not know if it is complete - of soldiers who suffered during the NATO aggression. We see that our society is not quite capable of nurturing the memory of those soldiers as it should be, but the one who does not forget, who mentions and prays and who weaves a wreath of glory around the heads of the holy martyrs is the Church of God," said the Metropolitan. Joanikije.
He emphasized that, as time passes, the biographies of these young men who suffered during the NATO aggression are increasingly emerging before our eyes.
"All young men, all heroes, all new Obilići. In Montenegro, this piety prevails, this feeling for innocently shed blood, for the blood of heroes, heroes who defended our families, homes and our holy places. I am not sure that all their names are listed, but here, in addition to the victims in Murina, we also have these heroes by name and surname," said Bishop Joanikije and added that by mentioning their names and remembering their heroic and innocent blood, we are ennobling ourselves.
"In this way, we rise, we appreciate virtue, we appreciate sacrifice, we admire their love for God and their homeland, their courage that protected our homeland, our homes and our people. And we pray to God that the Lord may grant them wreaths of His eternal glory, that He may inscribe them in His oblivion," said the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral.
He emphasized that despite the entire mechanisms that work to darken and forget their names, to drive them into oblivion and the past, we see that God glorifies them.
"Their names and their sacrifices shine ever more brightly. May the Lord rest their souls and bless the families and homes from which these heroes and these innocent victims come, our entire people and our entire homeland. And may God grant us as much harmony, love and peace as possible. Unanimity! And this is what the sacrifices of these heroes not only call us to, but also oblige us to do. May their memory be eternal," concluded Metropolitan Joanikije.
His Eminence the Metropolitan mentioned the names of the victims of the 1999 NATO aggression in the following order:

Miroslav Knezevic
Vukic Vuletic
Manojlo Komatina
Julija Brudar
Olivera Markovic
Milka Kocanovic
Sasa Stajic
Ranko Lazarevic
Goran Mirjacic
Njegomir Maras
Acim Tadic
Djordije Cimbalevic
Mario Riso
Zlatko Mujovic
Dejan Petric
Simo Popovic
Danilo Vojvodic
Predrag Leovac
Miroslav Bozovic
Ljubodrag Beloica
Marko Avramovic
Miomir Mitrovic
Miodrag Guberinic
Zvonimir Tomovic
Milan Dragas
Jovan Otashevic
Radule Scekic
Petar Komnenovic
Slavko Djurovic
Vukoman Tesovic
Milan Kontic
Bozidarka Markovic
Milivoje Bajic
Srdjan Lakicevic
Vladimir Draskovic
Branislav Madzgalj
Novo Trifunovic
Zeljko Boskovic
Ranko Vukovic
Zarko Nikic
Darko Maskovic
Milorad Jelic
Aleksandar Perovic
Zoran Fatic
Safet Licin
Radojica Zecevic
Veselin Jovovic
Mihailo Vidakovic
Branko Cupic
Radomir Jacimovic
Ljubisa Jokic
Radovan Vujadinovic
Vitomir Popovic
Djurko Bojovic
Zdravomir Bukilic
L. Ostojic/ R. Vojinovic