Statement of the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia

On the Occasion of March 24 – Anniversary of the NATO Aggression Against the FR Yugoslavia (1999)

On March 24, 1999, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was struck by the most powerful military machinery deployed against a sovereign country since the Second World War. The first explosions, which followed the attack by the NATO alliance, marked the end of international law, suspended the Charter of the United Nations, and opened a new and tragic chapter in world history. By this act, the leaders of NATO countries demonstrated that even the basic provisions of international law do not apply to great powers, as the aggression flagrantly violated numerous international legal acts – from the UN Charter to conventions on the protection of civilians and the environment.

A country of around 12 million people was attacked by the most powerful military force in the world. The FR Yugoslavia faced 19 of the most developed Western countries, led by the United States of America. The balance of forces was incomparable in every respect: territorial, demographic, economic, and technological. The equipment of the Yugoslav Army was technologically inferior to that of the aggressor, making this conflict one of the most unequal wars in modern history.

Even the protagonists of the aggression later admitted its true motives. The then NATO commander Wesley Clark stated that the reason for the attack was not Kosovo, but the preservation of NATO’s credibility and the global role of the United States. Similarly, numerous Western officials confirmed that political objectives were used to justify a pre-prepared military intervention.

The aggression was totalitarian in its essence. It was not a government or an individual that was bombed – it was an entire people. Bridges, factories, schools, hospitals, and media houses were targeted. Cities such as Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Niš were devastated, as well as smaller places like Surdulica, Varvarin, and Aleksinac, where the highest number of civilians were killed. Attacks were also carried out on refugee columns, trains, and buses, leaving an indelible mark on the collective memory of the people.

Material destruction was enormous. More than 1,000 civilian facilities were destroyed or damaged, including dozens of bridges, roads, and railways, as well as hospitals, schools, kindergartens, monasteries, and churches. The total damage was estimated at over 100 billion US dollars. Tens of thousands of tons of explosives were used, including munitions with depleted uranium, causing severe and long-term consequences for human health and the environment.

The aggression against the FR Yugoslavia also marked the beginning of a new era in international relations – an era of interventionism and the militarization of global politics. It became evident that political issues could have been resolved through peaceful means, yet force was chosen instead. This precedent opened the door to other wars that followed in the years after 1999.

On this anniversary, the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia honors the victims of the aggression and reaffirms its firm commitment to peace, sovereignty, and the struggle against imperialism and all forms of domination. The memory of March 24, 1999, remains a lasting warning and an obligation to resist injustice and to fight for a world based on equality, solidarity, and respect for international law.