Serbia commemorates victims of Petrovaradin War

By Talha Ozturk

NOVI SAD, Serbia (AA) - Serbia on Monday held a ceremony to mark the 303rd anniversary of the Battle of Petrovaradin between the Ottoman Empire and Austria.

The Ceremony was organized by the Vezirac Association, which is headed by Petar Mudri. He is also Turkey's Honorary Consul in Novi Sad city.

The aim of the ceremony was to paid tribute to all fallen soldiers and the civilians of the battle.

The ceremony was held at the Vezirac Memorial Site, where the great war raged between the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Ottoman Empire on Aug. 5, 1716.

Prince Eugene of Savoy led the Austrian army against the Ottoman army, which was led by the Grand Vizier Damat Ali Pasha, in one of the war’s determining battles.

The battle of Petrovaradin defeated the belief in the invincibility of the Ottoman Empire in Europe. Because the Ottoman Empire was defeated against Austria in a relatively short time.

Representatives of the Embassies of Turkey, Hungary and Austria laid wreaths at the monument and paid their tributes to the victims of the war.

Speaking at the ceremony Turkey's Deputy Ambassador to Serbia Ayse Uzer said that although the countries have fought against each other in the past, they are close friends and allies today since bad things have been left behind in the past.

"Because of our shared history with all Balkan nations, modern Turkey feels a special closeness to the Balkans. What we share through languages, music, lifestyles. Although we are connected to the past, we focus more on the future and further development of friendship, peace, and well-being.

"We only want peace and prosperity for this region. We hope that there will be no more wars in this region, continent as well as in the whole world," Uzer said.

Mudri, for his part, said that nations should learn from history and look to the future, not the past.

"It is a great honor for us to be the initiators and to organize this event for 16 years, which receives more and more attention year by year," said Mudri.