site.btaPresident Vucic on Anniversary of Operation Storm: Peace Works in Serbia's Favour

On the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm during Croatia's War of Independence and the expulsion of over 200,000 Serbs from their homes, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told RTS that the country's strategic commitment is to preserve peace and stability in the region.

"Peace works in our favour. Today, time is on our side - we are developing faster than others, and our economy is performing better. This increases our strength and advantages," Vucic said.

Croatia's War of Independence from the former Yugoslavia took place from 1991 to 1995. Hostilities ended after Croatia achieved a decisive victory with Operation Storm. The offensive began on August 4, 1995, and within 84 hours, Croatian forces took control of 10,400 sq. km - 18.4% of Croatia's territory. This and five other military operations led to the expulsion of 220,000 Serbs from their homes, and the death of 1,170 civilians, 1,055 of whom Serbs. A total of 918 soldiers and 228 people of mixed status were also killed, according to data published by the Croatian non-governmental organization Documenta - Centre for Dealing with the Past in 2025.

Speaking about support for Serbs in the region, Vucic stated that it is important for Belgrade's presence to be visible in every municipality of the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also in the Bosnian towns of Drvar, Bosansko Grahovo, Glamoc, and Bosanski Petrovac, where Serbs are a majority. He said that state borders should not be an obstacle to national unity and that it is important to preserve the Serbian language, the Cyrillic alphabet, and the common educational space.

"We belong to the same nation, regardless of the fact that we are separated by national borders, and we insist on national unity. They will never be able to take that away from us," the Serbian President emphasized.

Vucic noted that even three decades after the wars in the former Yugoslavia, emotions remain strong because "the public often insists on its own suffering and the guilt of the other side." He also mentioned his visit on Monday to his father's birthplace in Cipuljic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he was pleasantly surprised by the number of people of different nationalities who came to greet him.

Vucic insisted that Serbia must simultaneously preserve the memory of Serbian victims and build peace in the region. He recalled that Belgrade has acknowledged the crimes committed by members of the Serbian people and has shown respect for the victims of other nations.

"We must show reverence and respect for the victims of other nations, but it is time to speak openly about the suffering of the Serbian people. Not out of a desire to take revenge on anyone, nor to provoke new conflicts, but to be aware of reality and approach everything rationally," Vucic concluded. He emphasized that Serbs must show more respect for their own victims and history, because otherwise no one else will.

"The people of Krajina (a self-proclaimed proto-state Serbian Republic during the war in Croatia) were brave, dignified people, and today they are a proud people. But we remained silent for 30 years and never spoke about what happened," the Serbian President said. He believes that the suffering of Serbs in Croatia did not begin with Operation Storm, but much earlier, citing the persecutions and attacks against Serbs in several Croatian cities, which he views as a prelude to later events.

Speaking about Serbia's position, Vucic emphasized that the country is stronger today than it was before and that the balance of power must be built primarily through economic development, reindustrialization, and investment in new technologies. "Today, the Croatian army is no stronger than ours," Vucic said.

He criticized the Montenegrin government's decision to send a representative to the commemoration of Operation Storm in Knin, but not send a representative to the commemoration of the Serbian victims in Mrkonjic Grad at the same time.

"Montenegro participated in the Operation Storm commemoration, but did not send anyone to the memorial for the fallen Serbs in Mrkonjic Grad. I thank the Montenegrin government. This is not the end, but only the beginning of such decisions," the Serbian President asserted.

He noted that the expectations part of the public held after the political changes in Montenegro in 2020 were too high, and that Serbia must continue to support the Serbian people there.

"It is good that we can gather all these facts, because we will be better prepared for the upcoming political events. We must be aware of all the problems and divisions that have been imposed on us," concluded Vucic, who has been on a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Serbian municipalities in Republika Srpska since Monday.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into two semi-autonomous entities - the Republika Srpska, populated mainly by Bosnian Serbs, and the Muslim-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, home to Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) and Bosnian Croats. Each entity has its own government, parliament, and police force, but the two are linked through common institutions at the state level, including the judicial system, the army, security services, and the tax administration.