1,700 civilians, including 400 children, became victims of NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999

Serbia turned from the republic into a supplier of guest workers 20 years ago, while the physical, emotional and psychological scars linger over many facets of day-to-day life.

For lack of funds, local authorities have long been unable to repair the Yugoslav Defense Ministry building on 35 Kneza Milosa Street in Belgrade, which was badly damaged by NATO bombing. Later on, a certain enterprising businessman ventured to buy the ruins and rebuild them into a nightclub, but he never got round to do so.

All other houses destroyed by air strikes of the criminal Western alliance (essentially the United States) were restored in the Serbian capital city while only the last reminder of the horrible events of March 24, 1999 remains a reproach to the old and faulty NATO. On that day, warplanes dropped tons of explosives on the cities, towns and villages throughout Yugoslavia. The region still struggles to contend with the environmental and health legacies of cluster bombs and the use of depleted uranium.

It is important to note that 1,700 civilians, including 400 children, became the victims of the NATO bombing. Among the victims were journalists of the Belgrade television center, ordinary train's passengers, and residents of villages near military installations.