Celebration of two hundred and first anniversary of the First Serbian uprising

Belgrade, 15 February 2005 - HRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Princess Katherine were present today at the celebration of two hundred and first anniversary of First Serbian Uprising in Orasac.

Prior to the celebration in Orasac, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Princess Katherine, accompanied by members of the Advisory Bodies of the Crown Prof.Dr Dragoljub Kavran and Mr. Djordje Djurisic, laid a wreath on the grave of Vozd Karadjordje and attended the commemoration in the memorial church in Oplenac. His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadia officiated the memorial service.

Afterwards, Their Royal Highnesses headed for Orasac, where they attended the Holy Liturgy officiated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadia, in the Church of Lords Assumption. Beside Their Royal Highnesses, also present were HE Dr Vojislav Kostunica, the Prime Minister of Serbian, HE Miroljub Labus, Vice-Premier of of Serbia, HE Predrag Bubalo, Minister of Agriculture and his wife, HE Velimir Ilic, Minister of Capital Investments, HE Dragan Jocic, Minister of Interior, representatives of Army of Serbian and Monetegro, as well as members of the Advisory Bodies of the Crown.

His Grace Bishop Jovan delivered a sermon and reminded that Sretenje is a great holiday and “as Vozd Karadjordje met with holders of the same view as his, and that we also need to meet with ourselves.”

After the end of the Liturgy HRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Princess Katherine, HE Dr Vojislav Kostunica, Prime Minister, HE Miroljub Labus, Vice-Premier, accompanied by Their Excellences Ministers and representatives of Army of Serbia and Montenegro laid wreaths on the monument of Vozd Karadjordje in front of the memorial school in Orasac.

Afterwards, in Mariceviceva Gully HRH Crown Prince Alexander II and HE Dr Vojislav Kostunica, Prime Minister addressed the crowd of local residents from Orasac and the surrounding area, who were gathered despite the low temperature and snow.

The Crown Prince pointed out:

“Vozd Karadjordje, my ancestor started the Uprising on this day two hundred and one years ago. It was the beginning of Modern Serbia, now we have great challenges ahead of us: Kosovo, the future of our common state (Serbia and Montenegro), our obligations towards the International Community, and our part in Euro-Atlantic integration. Very soon, the whole of the Balkans will become part of a united Europe. I am certain that we do not want our country to become a desert, a forgotten island. Every citizen of ours has the right to live a life worth living. Only speedy reforms and new jobs can enable that”.

In the rest of his speech, the Crown Prince reminded the present that the conference in Athens “Greece-Serbia and Montenegro Partnership Initiative” was just closed, and that it had sent a clear message to the world.

“With this conference we showed that our country has great commercial and economic potential. Our strength is our unity. We have to work with each other and not against each other” – the Crown Prince made himself clear.

Afterwards, Dr Vojislav Kostunica addressed recalled the historical importance of the First Serbian Uprising. He added:

“Karadjordje, the Serbian liberator, was conscious of importance of right and justice, laws and courts, and of the uprising of Serbia to be constituted with the government on the well-known principle “the first and the only master in vilayet is the law”. There was a consciousness that freedom does not mean only the freedom from the occupier, but also that freedom under the governance of law is to be respected as the basic principle of internal affairs. Again, we have an opportunity to build a country with laws, democratic resources, and this way to set a solid link with a wealthy tradition of Serbia”.

There followed a play of “Vostanie” for the celebration in Orasac, HRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Princes Katherine visited the exhibition of photos that were taken at last year’s celebration of the two hundred anniversary of the First Serbian Uprising.