“As an Orthodox I can not participate in an attack on a brotherly nation,” said Greek captain of Greek Navy’s ship Marinos Ricoudis, two decades ago during NATO bombing of then former Yugoslavia now-day Serbia.
Ricudis, then captain of the Temistoclis Ship and Navy Lieutenant, refused orders to participate in the bombing and returned the ship back to port.
Although his decision to support Serbian nation at a time when virtually the entire world was against it brought him problems, Ricoudis is proud of it. In one of his earlier statements for “Blic” news he confirmed this.
“I am proud to support Serbia in the fight against all. It was a fantastic feeling to make the decision to support a nation that was fighting a far superior enemy. I am extremely proud of that moment that I have provided to both my and your people. It is a common story between me, my culture and your culture. I am very happy to have found friends in Serbia and to share our memories”- he told the Serbian newspaper “Blic” two years ago.
The honorable decision he made resulted in a whole lot of trouble for himself. He was expelled from the Navy by emergency procedure.
In court, they decided to expel me from the Navy by urgent procedure – he told Blic and explained that he had been tried in nine courts and that the decision to terminate his career in the Navy was made in a day.
“I spent three days in a military prison. I also appealed to the Court of Appeal through my lawyers, but they upheld the first instance verdict”, he said.
When Serbia for the first time offered him to be awarded the Order, the captain refused and said that he had done nothing so great and that he was not brave, ” your people was brave who fought against all without any chances to win.”
However, in January last year, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the SOC awarded him the Order of Saint Emperor Constantine, “because of his sacrificial love for the brotherly Serbian people, refusing to participate in NATO’s 1999 bombing of Serbia.”
At the beginning of last year, a mural with his character came to light in Belgrade. Serbian citizens once again thanked him for his heroic act by painting his character with the flags of Greece and Serbia on Dunavska Street in Dorcol, Belgrade. The mural was done on his birthday.
“Graphite in Belgrade. My birthday present. It’s beautiful. Thanks to all my Serbian friends. Greece – Serbia closer than ever “, Ricudis wrote on his Facebook profile at the time.
