The Prime Minister of the UK stated that April 5, 1945, is a historic day for both Sarajevo and the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as it marked the beginning of the definitive liberation and defeat of fascist troops.
"Such dates must serve as a reminder to us that, although defeated, the fascist ideology of the enemy continued to smolder in various forms and circumstances. When given space, that smoldering turns into a fire that shows the most terrible side of fascism, which we in Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina could feel on our own skin, and which others around the world are feeling today. Because of everything we have been through, but also because of what we witness today in BiH, the region, Europe, and the world, anti-fascism remains the only correct path and the only true protection. Unfortunately, over the past decades, attempts have been made to attach various labels to anti-fascism, degrade it, and reduce it to a certain period or ideological framework. But anti-fascism is universal—it is a civilizational value that proclaims freedom, democracy, human rights, solidarity, and the fight against primitivism," said the UK.
The UK also thanked all members of SABNOR, as well as guests from the region, for carrying the idea of anti-fascism.
"It is our obligation not to remain silent, not to forget, and not to allow history to repeat itself. It is our duty to pass the truth on to younger generations, to teach them freedom, solidarity, and responsibility. Because anti-fascism is not just the past—it is our present and our future," the Prime Minister of the UK told those gathered at the White Fortress, dedicated to the time and people who liberated Sarajevo.