“ALL THAT MATTERED WAS STAYING ALIVE”: Radojka and Jovo fled during Operation Storm with their six-month-old baby!

Exactly 31 years ago, Radojka and Jovo Milanko from Obrovac, Croatia, packed whatever they could into an old green “Tamić” truck and, with their six-month-old baby in their arms, left their home. Deep down, they knew they would never return, and that is exactly what happened. Operation Storm brought them to Serbia, which welcomed them with open arms.

“I will never forget that convoy moving slowly toward the border. We kept moving little by little, hoping someone would say, ‘Everything is fine now, you can go back.’ But that never happened. When we crossed into Bosnia, we realized there was no turning back. We traveled for nine days before arriving in Sombor. We only took the bare essentials because the most important thing was to stay alive and protect our son, who was only six months old at the time,” Jovo told RINA.

After spending several months in Sombor, the three-member Milanko family was relocated as displaced persons to Majdanpek. Neither Jovo nor Radojka felt ready for life in that part of Serbia, so they moved on their own first to Čačak and then to the Dragačevo region.

“Only those who have lived through it know what it feels like”

“That feeling of being a refugee among strangers cannot be described in words. Only people who have experienced it know what I’m talking about. My greatest fear was for our child, and once we realized we had survived, we also realized we no longer had a roof over our heads. Still, we were young and healthy, and that was the most important thing, so we started building our lives again. We did hard daily labor, worked in factories, and accepted every job with a smile,” Radojka said.

Years of hard work eventually paid off, and about ten years ago they started beekeeping. Today they have more than 100 beehives. Some years they earn more, some less. They cannot make a great deal of money, but it is enough for a peaceful and decent life.

A dream fulfilled in Dragačevo

“More than five years ago, we moved into our own house near the center of Guča. We received concrete blocks, so we first built what was essentially a basement and lived there for a while. Later, we built the upper floor and moved upstairs. My wife, my son, and I did most of the construction work ourselves. Our wonderful neighbors also helped us a great deal. After many years of living as tenants, this house is the fulfillment of our dream,” Jovo said.

They say they do not return to their hometown of Obrovac very often. Although many memories tie them to that place, Serbia is now their home—the country that welcomed them when they needed it most.

“Whenever we go there, we can’t wait to come back home to Dragačevo. Everything we have built with our own hands is here now. Everyone welcomed us warmly, and we formed friendships that will last a lifetime,” Radojka said.

These hardworking people are proof that even when life pushes you to the very edge of survival and you lose everything, determination and perseverance can help you rebuild your life. Giving up is never an option.