Serbia’s President, Tomislav Nikoli, has announced that he will not mark the Centenary of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination in Sarajevo this Saturday.
The President had been expected to attend the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 100th anniversary.
He stated that he could not be in an environment where the Serbian people were being “accused” of aggression.
He was referring to Sarajevo’s recently restored town hall, where a sign hangs blaming Serbia for the Bosnian War of the 1990s.
The Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, supported the President’s move, stating that he personally “cannot stand next to a sign describing Serbia as a facist aggressor”.
Mr. Vucic said that he would be in Belgrade (Serbia) and Visegrad ( Republika Srpska) on the Centenary of the assassination – 28th June.
“It is my duty to be with our people – [the 28th] is our biggest national holiday” – St. Vitus Day.
Source: President & Prime Minister of Serbia’s Offices
Images courtesy of the President of Serbia’s Office
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News