For crimes against humanity and other goods protected by international law committed against several hundred people, men, originally from Kosovo, mainly of Albanian nationality, who were recruited into the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia (NOVJ) for the purposes of continuing the liberation of the then common state, Aleksandar Saša Zeković filed a criminal complaint with the Special State Prosecutor's Office against currently unknown members and officers of the Tenth Montenegrin Shock Brigade.
In the report, which Vijesti has access to, the human rights activist explained that he was doing so due to a well-founded suspicion that they had committed a crime against humanity, a war crime, a war crime against prisoners of war, or any other criminal act against humanity and other goods protected by international law.
"By killing at least 452 people with firearms and wounding at least 104 of them."
Referring to archival materials, he wrote that on April 1, 1945, a large number of NOVJ recruits, mostly young and mostly of Albanian nationality, originally from Kosovo, were killed in the territory of the Bar municipality.
"From Prizren, the collection center, recruits from Kosovo were sent in groups (echelons) to units of the Fourth Army that was conducting the final operations for the liberation of Istria and the conquest of Trieste. They walked to Bar, through Albania, from where they were transferred by ship to Dalmatia, Croatia. Most of them were forcibly mobilized. According to available official military data (Military Archives in Belgrade), part of the members of the second group that was sent from Prizren to Bar on March 25, 1945 with 2.382 recruits was shot, extrajudicially, in Bar. Alternative sources indicate a much larger number of recruits, in the second echelon, even up to 4.700 people," Zeković wrote.
He also pointed out to the prosecutors that, in a report by the intelligence officer of the headquarters of the Twenty-seventh Serbian Brigade to the intelligence sector of the 46th Division, it was stated that 452 Albanian recruits were killed in the incident in Bar, while 104 were wounded.
"The execution was carried out by members of the Tenth Montenegrin Shock Brigade, to which the recruits were handed over for escort from Shkodra to Bar. This is the same brigade whose members also committed a war crime against the civilian population in Cetinje, on November 14 and 15, 1944, which is why a criminal complaint was filed with the Special State Prosecutor's Office of Montenegro in early July 2024 by the descendants of one of the victims," he wrote.
Zeković emphasizes that certain authors indicate that, according to official, military, historical data, members of that brigade killed more innocent victims in just a few hours in Bar and Cetinje than members of the German occupying army during the entire period of the existence and operation of this formation.
He also stated what literature they could find out about it, and that official, military data indicated that the massacre in Bar undoubtedly took place and that the victims could no longer be denied or negated.
“These reports, sent to higher commands, were also marked ‘confidential’ or ‘top confidential’. However, the stated number of killed and wounded recruits can be doubted for the following reason: the transport of the second group of recruits (echelon) from Shkodra to Bar was carried out by members of the Tenth Montenegrin Shock Brigade (and not members of the aforementioned Serbian brigades). In the war archives of the Tenth Montenegrin Brigade, as well as in the publication on its history (published in 1984), there is no information about this incident, or the massacre in Bar. The investigation into the massacre could not have been conducted by the organs of the 27th Serbian Brigade, but by the organs of the Montenegrin partisan units, which is confirmed in their memoirs by Bosko Djurickovic, political commissar of the Second Shock Corps, which included the Tenth Montenegrin Shock Brigade. This means that intelligence officers (of the Serbian brigades) in their reports to higher commands conveyed indirectly obtained information, which, due to the aforementioned classifications (which also indicate a certain level of credibility), indicates that the number of killed and wounded was certainly not less than stated.
Zeković wrote that he has reason to suspect, taking into account official military sources, survivor accounts and testimonies, albeit modest, from Montenegrin military, political and intelligence officials, that the number of killed and wounded is higher than what can be concluded from official military records.
He stressed that he is convinced that the filing of criminal charges, and especially the further actions of the Special State Prosecutor's Office, contributes to "the creation of an authentic democratic mentality and political culture."
"Exactly as recommended by the Council of Europe, of which our country is a member."
"Considering the European integration process, the reforms that have been implemented and are still being implemented, as well as the fact that the state prosecutor's organization has been significantly freed from ideological influences and constraints, the complainant is convinced that the Special State Prosecutor's Office of Montenegro is in a position and capable of objectively verifying what happened and determining the location of the mass graves," Zeković wrote to the special prosecutors.
SDT has the capacity to access archival materials
In his report to prosecutors, Zeković also wrote that Boško Đuričković, in his memoir, published just before the end of socialism in Yugoslavia, confirmed that a massacre had taken place in Bar and that he personally came to Bar the very next day to investigate it.
“He announced, which is additionally important, that after the war the investigation into the Bar massacre continued. However, based on his memories that he decided to share with the public, it is still not possible to conclude which body/organ conducted the investigation,” Zeković wrote to the special prosecutors, saying that they have “sufficient capacity, resources and opportunities to provide access to existing archival materials in the country and abroad.”
"But also to come up with new knowledge that will help shed light on the deaths of so many young recruits."
"The end of socialism in Montenegro was unfortunately not accompanied by an investigation of crimes and human rights violations, which had a decisive impact on today's very low awareness of human rights violations among the Montenegrin public and the lack of support for the process of dealing with the past," the application states.
He also pointed out that the Council of Europe's acquis clearly indicates that "states have a social responsibility and obligation to enable and provide the public with facts about political repression and violence in the past, taking care not to contribute to the creation and affirmation of "confusing" but also "justifying" (i.e. substitute) narratives."
"The work of the prosecution on this and other cases is of vital importance for strengthening a pluralistic democracy, founded on the rule of law and respect for human rights and diversity. Due to the lack of sufficient support for the elimination of the negative legacies of former totalitarian regimes (communism), oligarchy instead of democracy, corruption instead of the rule of law, and organized crime instead of human rights have prevailed in Montenegro for decades."
Bonus video:
