Serbian leader describes prohibiting Russia from Auschwitz ceremony as ‘perverted’

(MENAFN) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has expressed strong disapproval of Russia's exclusion from the 80th anniversary ceremony commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz, describing the decision as reflective of broader issues within the West. The liberation of the notorious Nazi death camp by Soviet troops from the Red Army’s 332nd Rifle Division occurred on January 27, 1945, resulting in the freedom of around 7,000 remaining prisoners.

Speaking to Serbian media during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Vucic stated, “Soon you will have the ceremony marking the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Those who liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Russians, won’t be invited. I presume that those who had the camp built will be invited. Everything in this world is, pardon my phrase, perverted and inverted.”

The Auschwitz Museum has not extended an invitation to Russia for this anniversary since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022. Last year, museum director Piotr Cywinski accused the Russian government of exhibiting “sick megalomania” and a “lust for power” akin to that of the Nazis, a claim that drew criticism from Moscow. In his recent statements, Cywinski emphasized the significance of the anniversary, stating, “This is the anniversary of liberation. We remember the victims, but we also celebrate freedom. It is hard to imagine the presence of Russia, which clearly does not understand the value of freedom. Such presence would be cynical.”

Vucic highlighted Cywinski's remarks in the context of Western leaders’ frequent calls for “territorial integrity and respecting the United Nations Charter,” which he argued are selectively applied, particularly in relation to the situation in Ukraine. This incident underscores ongoing geopolitical tensions and the complexities surrounding historical memory and accountability in the modern world.

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