Serbia’s Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin has decorated two veterans of the former Yugoslav Army from Montenegro, Andrija Mandic and Danilo Lekovic, for their contribution to Serbia’s defence system, the ministry said on Sunday.

Mandic and Lakovic received Military Commemorative Medals during a ceremony at the Great Wartime Hall.

Minister Vulin said that all those who were defending the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999 deserve equal attention and respect, regardless of whether they are citizens of Serbia or Montenegro.

Mandic, who is now one of the leaders of the opposition Democratic Front (DF) in Montenegro, said this was a great recognition for the unit he had commandeered and all reserve forces members “who were proud of responding the call of their homeland and of defending their homeland the same way as their glorious ancestors.”

“It’s been twenty years no and the many in Montenegro, the same ones who were calling for desertion back in 1999, who worked for the NATO in 1999, tried to make people ashamed of being the members of the Army of Yugoslavia,” he stressed.