Novi Sad/Žabalj, 28 October - President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and President of Hungary Tamás Sulyok, PhD attended today the consecration of the restored Church of Our Lady of the Snows in Žabalj. President of the AP Vojvodina Assembly Juhász Bálint also attended by the event.
After the official meetings in Belgrade, within the first visit of the Hungarian president to our country, presidents Vučić and Sulyok previously laid wreaths at the Reconciliation Monument as well as the “Topal Warehouse” Raid Victims Museum in Čurug.
Speaking in the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, president Vučić noted that Serbia today had no greater or closer ally than Hungary, and following the centuries and decades of disagreement, a level of respect, partnership and affection had been reached. He also noted that the most deserving for these good relations was the late President of AP Vojvodina Assembly, István Pásztor and the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who were the initiators of the historical reconciliation of two nations and said that we must not allow anyone to damage these relations.
President Sulyok noted that the Church of Our Lady of the Snows was today a new symbol of the Hungarian-Serbian friendship, and bowed together with President Vučić to the innocent victims of both nations in Čurug and Žabalj. He particularly highlighted the merits of István Pásztor for the historical reconciliation and the achieved level of good relations of two nations and assessed that both in Serbia and Vojvodina all who lived there and to whom this was the “land of their fathers” were equally respected.
On behalf of the Hungarian national community, Balint Pastor and Arpad Fremond addressed the large audience, while the consecration ceremony was attended by the President of the Provincial Government Maja Gojković and the Minister for Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Nemanja Starović.
The Church of Our Lady of the Snows was consecrated for the first time in 1901, and was now restored thanks to the support of the Hungarian Government.