34 YEARS SINCE FORMATION OF THE SECOND KRAJINA CORPS' ELITE UNIT MARKED

DRVAR, JUNE 6 /SRNA/ – The 34th anniversary of the formation of the Second Military Police Battalion, an elite unit of the Second Krajina Corps of the Republika Srpska Army, whose 33 members gave their lives for the defence of Republika Srpska, was marked today in Drvar.

“We created Republika Srpska and we are preserving it today,” said Minister of Labour, War Veterans and Disabled Persons Protection Radan Ostojić, who paid tribute and laid flowers at the memorial to fallen soldiers in Drvar. Ostojić said that members of this battalion contributed greatly to the creation of Republika Srpska, including a great sacrifice. He pointed out that through the struggles of this wartime unit, as well as the Serb soldier throughout history, freedom and Republika Srpska were born out of hardship and suffering. He added that he chose, as a minister, to come to freedom-loving Drvar to be with the local people and comrades, saying it was an example that Serbs in the FBiH are not forgotten by the Republika Srpska institutions. “We do not abandon them; we consider them important. Care must be taken of these people,” Ostojić said, adding that the duty is to look after veteran categories. Assistant Commander of the Second Krajina Corps, Mikailo Mitrović, recalled that the Second Military Police Battalion was one of the first units formed within the intelligence and security system of the Second Krajina Corps. “It was an elite unit that carried out not only military police duties but was often used as a combat unit, and therefore suffered casualties. Death toll of those battles was 33 fallen soldiers,” Mitrović said. He added that the battalion successfully defended Drvar until the end of the war, holding the city for 45 days during the final assault, but eventually the opposing forces were numerically superior and the unit was unable to hold out. “Nevertheless, this is a unit that deserves respect, composed of people from all areas covered by the Second Krajina Corps, and a unit that honourably fulfilled all assigned tasks,” Mitrović said. Head of Civic Association of the Second Military Police Battalion of the Second Krajina Corps, Zoran Kovačević, said that today they paid tribute to those who gave their lives so that freedom could be enjoyed today.