RAKOVIĆ: TRUTH ABOUT SERBIAN PEOPLE SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND SLANDERS DEMYSTIFIED

BELGRADE, MARCH 27 /SRNA/ - Historian Aleksandar Raković told SRNA that the Serbian Government's project "Serbian National Interests – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" aims to protect the truth about the Serbian people through discussions with the Serbian Diaspora, and prominent figures from other countries, in order to demystify the slanders about the Serbian nation.

Raković said that this project, which is expected to begin in early April, focuses not only on history, but also on the overall national interests.

When it comes to history specifically, Raković says that it is certain that the most problematic period is the wars of the 1990s, where it is necessary to constantly talk about it from the Serbian point of view, namely in the territories and cities of the countries that participated in the aggression against the FR Yugoslavia.

"Many generations of Serbs grew up in that Serbophobia that existed at that time, and they are confused. And in order not to be confused or to be as little as possible, we need to communicate with them directly and explain to them what was happening then and why the FR Yugoslavia, that is, Serbia, was a victim," stressed Raković.

He pointed out that the victims were not only the FR Yugoslavia and Serbia, but also previously Republika Srpska and the Republic of the Serbian Krajina.

"During the 1990s, we had this complete continuity of aggression against the Serbian people, and this should be explained and, if possible, presented together with respected domestic figures from those countries who share our views, as it would provide additional confirmation for our positions," Raković emphasized.

He said that this project would first be presented at forums, through direct conversations and communication, and later, as it develops, in the media and at universities, given that these societies are largely closed to differing information.

"We should try, where possible, to present it," Raković said.

He also says that the most dangerous current slanders against Serbs are that they "broke up Yugoslavia, committed genocide, and carried out ethnic cleansing and aggression against neighboring peoples."

"These are all slanders that are not easy to demystify, considering that these societies are closed to differing information. But we can explain this based on facts, and that is what we will do," emphasized Raković.

Raković added that every beginning is difficult, but we should persevere.

"Therefore, no matter how difficult and challenging it may be, we must persevere," Raković concluded.

The project "Serbian National Interests – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow," which was presented yesterday in the Serbian Government by the Minister for the Diaspora, Đorđe Milićević, aims to protect the truth about the Serbian people through conversations with the Serbian Diaspora and prevent the revision of history.

The project is being implemented with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije, and it involves prominent figures from Serbia's public and cultural life.

The idea was born in August of last year, after a gathering of Serbs living outside Serbia in Belgrade, who wanted to participate in defending Serbian national interests.

The plan is to discuss this with the Serbian Diaspora in Austria, Italy, France, Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland by mid-April, and the initiative will continue after that.