Today, March 12, Serbia marked the 23rd anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić. The attack occurred at 12:25, when a sniper fired from ambush as the prime minister was leaving the Government building in Belgrade.

Đinđić led the Democratic Party and served as the first democratically elected prime minister following the fall of Slobodan Milošević's regime. Aged 50 at the time of the assassination, he was a key figure in post-revolutionary transformation, with emphasis on state modernization, European integration, and the fight against corruption and organized crime.

Following the assassination, a state of emergency was declared in Serbia lasting until April 22, 2003. Police launched Operation "Sabre," resulting in more than 11,000 arrests. Milorad Ulemek and Zvezdan Jovanović were each sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Đinđić was buried on March 15, 2003, attended by more than 70 foreign delegations — one of the largest diplomatic gatherings in Serbia at that time.