On the occasion, the Speaker said the following:

“Your Excellency, representatives of the diplomatic corps, esteemed representatives of the Government, honoured friends,

Commemorating the day when Russia entered World Was One, we must not forget the fact that it had suffered the biggest casualties in that, first “big war”. According to the final death toll, Serbia had lost almost a third of its population.

In these difficult times for both countries, and Serbia in particular considering its continuous wars at the beginning of the 20th century, Russia was among the first to come to its aid. Surgical and epidemiological medical units were formed and dispatched to Serbia, orphanages were created in the country, as well as kitchens and tearooms for the impoverished population and hospitals for children suffering from tuberculosis. Almost immediately after Austria-Hungary had declared war on Serbia, Russia responded and sent help.

From the first days of war the Russian press, Moscow press in particular, published advertisements on fund, medicine and clothes drives for the Serbian populace. The fund drives for the organisation of medical units in Serbia in Montenegro soon followed.

Most humanitarian missions arrived at the height of military actions, so that they could not expect grand receptions. The units arrived in February 1915, at the height of the typhoid epidemic. They were met at the railway station in Nis by Prime Minister Nikola Pasic.

It is a historic fact that during World War One Russia assisted Serbia by sending arms even though the Russian fronts suffered from a lack of rifles which was often the deciding factor in battle.

Your Excellency, dear friends,

Honouring the fallen heroes of World War One fills us with pride, but it is also a big obligation.

In times when moral duties are often forgotten in the face of material demands, it is good to remember those to whom we owe so much.

ETERNAL GLORY AND THANKS TO THE SERBIAN AND RUSSIAN HEROES OF WORLD WAR ONE!”