Statement of the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia on the Occasion of July 7th – Day of the Antifascist Uprising of the People of Serbia

On July 7th, 1941, in the village of Bela Crkva, the first rifle shots were fired against the fascist occupiers. This date marks not only the beginning of the struggle for the liberation of Serbia but also a powerful part of the broader antifascist struggle throughout Yugoslavia and Europe.

The uprising marked the beginning of a resistance that gave rise to the National Liberation War (NOB) — the largest liberation movement in these lands. Brave fighters from Serbia made an immeasurable contribution to the defeat of fascism and to the collapse of one of the darkest ideologies in the history of humankind.

This historic uprising was led by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, which organized and mobilized the oppressed masses, uniting all peoples and nationalities in the common fight for freedom and socialism.

It is our duty today, as on every July 7th, to honor and cherish the memory of all those who gave their lives for freedom, for dignity, and for a better future. Their struggle reminds us that freedom is a value that must always be defended and respected.

Death to fascism — freedom to the people!