On October 5, 2000 Serbian citizens defended their electoral will and defeated the dark state policy that isolated the country from the world, led it into wars and economically isolated it, said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic.

A press release from Mihajlovic’s office quoted her as saying that “the nineties of the past century were the darkest page in Serbia’s modern history.”

Mihajlovic, who is a member of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Presidency, said that the disastrous policy at the time led the country into several wars, sanctions and international isolation, while the state used repression against its own people.

She says she is proud to have been at the protests outside the Parliament building on October 5, 2000, because, as she says, she truly believes in the change of regimes that do not work in the interest of society, said the press release.

“Just like many other people I, too, am aware that, after the October 5 change of regime, Serbia did not achieve everything that its citizens strived for, which does not diminish the significance of that day, but warns us all that we are looking at a lot of work and struggle for a more prosperous Serbia,” said Mihajlovic.

She said that, on October 5, 2000 Serbia opted to become a part of the European family of peoples, and that there is no other path for Serbia but membership in the European Union (EU). Serbia’s place is in the West and EU membership is its strategic goal, said Mihajlovic.

“Even if we wanted to we couldn’t go to other parts of the world because we are a part of Europe, and, at a time when the world is a step away from a conflict, it is very important that we be clear and show that there is no third path for Serbia, only membership in the EU,” said Mihajlovic.