War-Hero Gets a Street in Novi Sad

CRNPS

22 October 2008

The Civic Vojvodina Coalition and Igman initiative praised the decision of the City Commission on Street and Public Services Names to accept their proposal and name one passage in Novi Sad after Srđan Aleksić, one of the few true heroes of the wars in former Yugoslavia.

- We are proud that Novi Sad was the first city in former Yugoslavia to recognize that Aleksić`s heroic act should not be forgotten. His act is a symbol on the road to national catharsis and revival, and on the road to normal relations and renewed friendships between the countries and nations in the region � Civic Vojvodina and Igman Initiative say.

Srđan Aleksić, at the time junior swimming record holder, was killed in January 1993, by four members of the Army of Republic of Srpska, attempting to save the life of Alen Glavović, Bosnika from his home town of Trebinje. Glavović lives in Sweden today and vists Aleksić`s grave every year.

One of the four killers died several months later on the front, while the other three were tried and sentenced to two years and four months terms in prison.

- Srđan Aleksić is a symbol of the struggle for values of co-existence, important to Novi Sad as a city dependent on diversity, tolerance and coexistence. The decision to name a street after him is a strong message to the citizens of Novi Sad, Vojvodina and Serbia that no person should be persecuted and discriminated on bases of his or her religious, racial, national or other background � say the two organizations, convinced that the example of Novi Sad will be followed by other cities and towns in former Yugoslavia.