Ignoring justice and truth, and disrespecting international law, carries with it a real danger of repeating the tragic events of the 90s, former Prime Minister and President of Montenegro and former leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Milo Đukanović, announced today.
He wrote on the social network X that it has been three decades since the horrific crime in Srebrenica, which was qualified as genocide by the highest international court.
"I join all those marking the International Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide, with deep respect for the victims and sincere sympathy for their families. Likewise, all those who condemn the denial of genocide. The indecision of our societies to oppose it is worrying, as is the lack of political will to sanction the perpetrators, and the unwillingness to face the past. Such behavior is also contributed to by the indolence of the international community, primarily the European Union, in relation to the increasingly pronounced phenomena of crime denial and the glorification of war criminals," said Đukanović.
He added that the Srebrenica tragedy is not just Bosnian, nor Balkan, but is also a deep wound for Europe.
The 30th anniversary of the genocide against Bosniaks committed by Serbian forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina in July 1995 will be marked today at the Srebrenica - Potočari Memorial Center.
The remains of seven more Srebrenica victims, who were found in different locations, will be buried in Potočari today. The youngest victims to be buried are two young men who were 19 years old.
Leaders of numerous countries have announced that they will be in Potočari today, and Sarajevo media report that 150.000 people could attend the commemoration.
In May last year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring July 11th as the International Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide, and condemning the denial of the genocide and the glorification of war criminals.
After entering Srebrenica, then a United Nations safe zone, forces led by the commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, Ratko Mladić, killed more than 1995 people, mostly men and boys, in July 8.000.
According to data from the Srebrenica - Potočari Memorial Center, at least 8.372 people were killed in and around Srebrenica, including women, girls and the elderly.
The Srebrenica genocide has been legally confirmed by the judgments of the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (The Hague Tribunal), and the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
So far, 1995 people have been sentenced to a total of 54 years in prison for genocide, crimes against humanity and other crimes committed in Srebrenica in July 781.
Five people were sentenced to life imprisonment, including former Republika Srpska President Radovan Karadžić, wartime commander of the Army of Republika Srpska Ratko Mladić, and three other high-ranking officers of the Army of Republika Srpska.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled in 2007 that the Army of Republika Srpska committed genocide in Srebrenica. The same court held Serbia responsible for failing to prevent the Srebrenica genocide.
Despite court rulings, Serbian political elites in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia have to date not shown a willingness to face the past and acknowledge that genocide was committed in Srebrenica.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the genocide, the Srebrenica - Potočari Memorial Center pointed out that institutional discrimination against Bosniaks, denial of genocide, and glorification of war criminals are still present in the Republika Srpska.
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