33RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE 5TH SPECIAL POLICE UNIT MARKED

DOBOJ, September 15 /SRNA/ - The 33rd anniversary of the founding of the 5th Unit of the Special Police Brigade, which had up to 430 members and took part in all battlefields across Republika Srpska, was marked today in Doboj.

A memorial service was held for 26 fallen members of the unit at the monument in front of the Doboj Police Administration building, where wreaths were also laid.

Former commander of the Fifth Unit, Nenad Gojković, said that this was a maneuver-type formation, entered on a voluntary basis, characterized by knowledge, experience, and courage, and present on all battlefields from Velika Kladuša to Herzegovina.

Former deputy commander Željko Marjanović emphasized that the unit honorably defended the territory of Republika Srpska and was composed of the best, already seasoned and well-trained fighters. He noted with sorrow that 26 members were killed, 256 wounded – some multiple times - and that after the war, another 32 members died from wounds and trauma.

President of the Veterans' Organization of Republika Srpska Radan Ostojić said that the members of this brigade were elite forces who made an enormous contribution to the creation of Republika Srpska by carrying out combat tasks.

"It is important to emphasize their unity and solidarity, especially today as we mark the Day of Serbian Unity," Ostojić stressed, adding that the path of the unit was also a path of sacrifice, which obliges everyone to preserve their memory as a condition for safeguarding freedom and Srpska.

Veterans, organized in their association, visited the graves of fallen comrades yesterday. The president of the Assembly of the Veterans' Association of the 5th Unit Nenad Stevanović, who joined the unit at the age of 22, said they crossed all battlefields with pride, without blemished honor or dignity.

He expressed pride that the date of the unit's founding coincides with the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom, and the National Flag.

Former member Dragan Slavuljica said the hardest moments during the war were when comrades were killed or severely wounded.

Doboj Mayor Boris Jerinić thanked the Veterans' Association of the 5th Unit for addressing the needs of their comrades and caring for the families of the fallen, announcing that the city government will continue to support their work.

Wreaths were laid at the monument by families of the fallen, former members of the 5th Unit, representatives of the Doboj Police Administration and other organizational units of the Interior Ministry of Republika Srpska, as well as by representatives of the Veterans' Organization of Srpska, war heritage associations from other municipalities, and representatives of the city of Doboj and the municipality of Petrovo.