Emir Kusturica in Yerevan for a concert dedicated to centennial of Armenian genocide
25.12.2015,
16:36
The prominent Serbian film director, musician and actor Emir Kusturica, who has arrived in Armenia together with his The No Smoking Orchestra, to play a concert dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian genocide, said he was very happy to be in Armenia again, with which Serbia has a lot of common, ‘but there's also a big difference.’
YEREVAN, December 25. /ARKA . The prominent Serbian film director, musician and actor Emir Kusturica, who has arrived in Armenia together with his The No Smoking Orchestra, to play a concert dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian genocide, said he was very happy to be in Armenia again, with which Serbia has a lot of common, ‘but there's also a big difference.’
‘Armenians are united and are recognized by the world as a nation that was subjected to genocide, but they were able to create their own independent state,’ he said to a news conference.
‘The history of Serbia was different - although the Serbian people were too subjected to genocide, they never came together in a united front and moreover, the Serbs are being portrayed now not as genocide survivors but genocide perpetrators,’ he said.
"During World War II some 800,000 Serbs were slaughtered by Croats, but Europe has not officially recognized this fact," said Kusturica.
In this regard, he recalled his visit to Turkey, three-four years ago. "In Turkey, I was definitely made understand that my presence in the country was not desirable in view of my position on the Serbs and Croats. I just said that the last thing I was interested in was the position of the country that slaughtered more than a million Armenians," said Kusturica.
After wrapping up the news conference Kusturica visited the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to remember the victims of the first genocide of the last century.-0-
‘Armenians are united and are recognized by the world as a nation that was subjected to genocide, but they were able to create their own independent state,’ he said to a news conference.
‘The history of Serbia was different - although the Serbian people were too subjected to genocide, they never came together in a united front and moreover, the Serbs are being portrayed now not as genocide survivors but genocide perpetrators,’ he said.
"During World War II some 800,000 Serbs were slaughtered by Croats, but Europe has not officially recognized this fact," said Kusturica.
In this regard, he recalled his visit to Turkey, three-four years ago. "In Turkey, I was definitely made understand that my presence in the country was not desirable in view of my position on the Serbs and Croats. I just said that the last thing I was interested in was the position of the country that slaughtered more than a million Armenians," said Kusturica.
After wrapping up the news conference Kusturica visited the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to remember the victims of the first genocide of the last century.-0-
