Serbian officials sign book of condolences at French embassy (B92, Tanjug)
Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic signed a book of condolences at the French embassy on Friday and paid homage to the victims of a terrorist attack in Paris.
12 people died during the January 7 attack at the office of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Vucic wrote today that "Serbia and France will fight against the evils of terrorism together, just as they have done on a number of occasions in the past."
At the same time, Vucic "condemned in the harshest terms the terrorist shots at free, peaceful citizens."
"On behalf of the government of the Republic of Serbia and all the citizens of the country, I want to express deepest sympathy with the families of the victims killed in the terror attack in Paris, and I most fiercely condemn the terrorist shots at free, peaceful citizens," Vucic wrote.
"We are shocked by the evil that afflicted the friendly country of France and we believe that the people of France and the country's leadership will triumph over those who want to take mankind several centuries back in history," Vucic said.
"Serbia believes that it still can and has a lot to learn from France, with regard to respect of human rights and freedoms, the implementation of democratic principles of government and many other aspects of the state, and this is why, dear friends in France, you can count on sincere and wholehearted support of Serbia and its people at this difficult moment," the prime minister wrote in the book of condolences.
"We will fight against the evils of terrorism together, just as France and Serbia have done on a number of occasions in the past," Vucic wrote.
"Glory be to all victims of the mindless terrorist attack. Je suis Charlie," Vucic wrote.
Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic was among those who signed the book of condolences, as were Mufti of Vojvodina and Belgrade Bajrakli Mosque Imam Mustafa Jusufspahic and President of the Serbian National Assembly Maja Gojkovic, who offered her support "in his difficult time for France and its people."
Gojkovic stated she was "convinced that the power of tolerance would overcome the madness of violence."
"Long live France," she concluded.