Tribute paid to soldiers of four faiths

CACAK - Wreaths and flowers were laid on Tuesday at the memorial to the soldiers of four faiths at the city cemetery in Cacak, central Serbia, in memory of the WWI fallen in that area, and to mark the anniversary of setting up the memorial.

Serbia's Minister without Portfolio Velimir Ilic noted that the memorial was erected on the initiative of female residents of Cacak in 1934.

"These are representatives of different religions, and that is the reason why there are four religious symbols on it, and it is unique," Ilic said.

Lela Pavlovic, director of the inter-municipal historical archives, said that it took six years to collect data on the fallen.

"When this monument was consecrated in 1934, Cacak was a European metropolis of peace, and numerous delegations and descendants of soldiers paid tribute to the fallen at that time," she said.

Pavlovic said that the joint grave is a final resting place for Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Romanians, Italians, Muslims that fought in the Austro-Hungarian military, but mostly for Serbs.

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin said it is our obligation to remember all people who defended their homeland and freedom.

Austrian Ambassador to Serbia Johannes Eigner said that nothing separates Serbia and Austria today, that they were apart 100 years ago, but now they want a shared future and united Europe.

Turkish Ambassador to Serbia Mehmet Kemal noted that this is the symbol of great tolerance and the way in which major world powers and civilizations could be brought together.

The monument bears the symbols of Orthodox Christianity, Catholicism, Islam and Judaism, which makes it unique in the world.

To mark the...