Yugoslavia Mourns for Victims in NATO BombingsYugoslav leaders, the army and different parties Saturday issued statements to mark the second anniversary of the NATO bombing campaign and to mourn for the tens of thousands of victims.The Yugoslavian government earlier set March 24 as a national mourning day in accordance with a proposal by Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. In a statement issued on the eve of the anniversary, Kostunica denounced NATO's "humanitarian" bombs that killed some 2,500 civilians, including 81 children. He emphasized that "the evil inflicted upon us" would not be repeated "if we remember it well. " Prime Minister Zoran Zizic said on the same day that history would not allow Yugoslavs to forget the crimes NATO committed to Yugoslavia and Yugoslavs should make up their minds to prevent a repetition of such tragedy. On March 24, 1999, NATO-led forces started a 78-day air campaign against Yugoslavia under the pretext of humanitarian interference. The Defense Ministry also blasted NATO for its indiscriminate killings, and called for solving disputes through political or diplomatic means in the new century. In Vranje, Aleksinac and other cities, rallies were held to commemorate the dead compatriots |
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