On March 24th, 1999 the illegal war on Yugoslavia began

Twenty years after the start of the illegal war on Yugoslavia, the international network „No to war - no to NATO" remembers this deliberate attack on a sovereign state. A Pandora´s box was opened, from which several illegal wars were to follow: on Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and Syria, with a bloody trail of destruction, forced removal, sorrow, and death.

The war on Yugoslavia was the blueprint for the fueling of ethnic and nationalist conflicts, and the militarization of societies up to the point of war. Those who are fleeing from war zones are still continually threatened by military actions, whether the perpetrator be EU/Frontex and/or NATO.

The supposed legitimation for these wars was a web of lies, employed to gain dominance, influence, resources, and hegemony.

During this time, NATO has developed global reach and became THE international military alliance. This has been emphasized by the jointly taken decision of its members to achieve defence spending of at least 2% of GDP by 2024. This boost will reduce the influence of China and Russia and secure resources for capitalist hegemony.

Contradictions between NATO states cannot conceal this common objective and the permanent territorial expansion of NATO serves these purposes. Preparations for war, most recently against Venezuela, underline its aggressive attitude. Abandoning nuclear weapons has never been seriously considered as an option. Through the comprehensive modernization and intended deployment of new nuclear weapons by the US, following the dissolution of the INF treaty, the nuclear arms race will be fuelled to a level not seen in decades. Furthermore, NATO´s first strike strategy is a threat to the planet as a whole.

Since its foundation in 2009, the international network „No to war – no to NATO" has successfully managed, through various actions, to reduce support for NATO among the population in key states, and even to delegitimize NATO. Our objective remains the same - twenty years after the illegal attack on Yugoslavia, and 70 years after NATO's founding:  to overcome the dinosaur named NATO and to replace it with an international organization for collective security and disarmament.

March, 10th, 2019