HRH CROWN PRINCE ALEXANDER ON THE CELEBRATION AT ORASAC

Belgrad, 15. february. 2004. – HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar II and HRH Princess Katarina attended the Celebration of the Bicentennial of Modern Serbian State held in Orašac. The celebration, attended by several thousand people, began with Holly Lithurgy, held by His Hollynes Patriarch Pavle, together with archbishops from diaspora and the clergy of Šumadija Bishopric. The holy liturgy was attended by HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar II and HRH Princess Katarina, and state official from State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, members of the Advisory bodies of the Crown, and other guests. After the lithurgy, the celebration continued by presenting the tradional poetry award «The Echoes of Filip Višnjić” in Marićevića Gully to Rajko Petrov Nogo, and then, His Holiness Patriarch with Archbishops of Serbian Orthodox church blessed the monument of Vožd Karadjordje, in front of the school “The First Serbian Uprising” in Orašac. Mayor of Arandjelovac, Radmilo Milošević, greeted all the guests, after which HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar II addressed the gathered people:

AS THE DESCENDENT OF KARADJORDJE I HAVE A VISION OF SERBIA IN WHICH THE CITIZENS LIVE AND WORK WITHOUT CONFLICTS. IT IS A STABLE SERBIA IN WHICH THE YOUNG HAVE A FUTURE. IT IS SERBIA THAT SEEKS AND FINDS SOLUTIONS, SERBIA THAT CONDUCTS REFORMS. WE MUST NOT WASTE PRECIOUS TIME. WE NEED NEW JOBS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BETTER STANDARDS OF LIVING. BETTER SOCIAL SERVICES AND BETTER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. WE NEED MODERN EUROPEAN SERBIA WITHOUT CORRUPTION. WE NEED ETHIC AND INDEPENDENT JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND THE RULE OF LAW. IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEED SERBIA THAT RESPECTS THE PAST, UNDERSTANDS THE PRESENT AND HEADS FOR THE FUTURE.

After the unveiling of the monument HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar II laid the wreath, followed by the Chief of Stuff of the Army of Serbia and Montenegro, general Branko Krga, Speaker of State Union Parliament, Dragan Maršićanin, and many others state officials and diplomats. Representatives of the Serbs from Montenegro presented HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar II with the traditional Serbian instrument – gusle. The Celebration of the Bicentennial of Modern Serbian State was concluded with the play «Skela».