Srebrenica Genocide: UN resolution sparks Balkan debate (2)

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 12 - Tension between Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
    The adoption of the resolution was met with fierce opposition from the Serbian government and the leaders of Serbs from BiH, who keep downplaying the atrocity and refuse to recognise it as genocide.
    The president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, who traveled specifically to New York for the vote, harshly attacked the text, arguing that, far from bringing reconciliation between Bosniaks and Serbs in BiH, it will "open Pandora's box" and foster "a division and a regional crisis in the Balkans".
    Last April, the Parliament of the Republika Srpska, one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina, adopted a document denying the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica, which has been acknowledged as documented and proven by the ICTY.
    The document also asserts that the victims of the massacre were not civilians, as the The Hague court considered proven, but rather "prisoners of war", and estimates their number at "between 1,500 and 2,000, at most 3,000" (compared to the 8,000 determined by the judges in The Hague).
    Contrasting views within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
    The commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide on July 11 is not officially conducted at the state level in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to deep political divisions within the country.
    For the fifth consecutive year, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not decide to declare July 11 a day of mourning. This proposal was rejected due to the veto rights of the deputy chairman from the entity of Republika Srpska.
    The National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted a statement protesting the UN Resolution, and the president of that entity, Milorad Dodik, said that the approval of the resolution would cause irreparable damage and "mark the end of BiH". He threatened that Republika Srpska, where Srebrenica is located, would secede from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
    On the other hand, numerous local and international officials highlight the importance of commemorating the Srebrenica genocide, as it serves as a reminder of the ongoing commitment to building a safer and fairer future for all.
    EU warns: "No place" in the Union for those who deny the Srebrenica massacre.
    The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, and Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, issued a joint statement on the genocide anniversary.
    "The Srebrenica genocide is one of the darkest moments in modern European history. We call on leaders to reject divisive rhetoric and work towards truth, justice, trust, and dialogue," they wrote in the joint statement on Tuesday. Both said that "there is no place" in the EU for those who deny the Srebrenica genocide, try to "rewrite the history" and "glorify war criminals".
    They also recalled that the EU leaders' agreement to open membership talks for Bosnia and Herzegovina in March 2024 is a "key opportunity" for the country to "advance reforms" that will strengthen democracy.
    "We reiterate our unequivocal commitment to the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU as a single, united and sovereign country," they added.
    Furthermore, the European Commission, asked on Tuesday in a press conference about the "possibility of suspending" the negotiations with Serbia if the country's authorities opposed the condemnation of the genocide, affirmed possible repercussions on the respective evaluations for accession.
    "If someone acts against the EU principles and basic criteria, this will be reflected in the Commission's recommendations or in the decisions of the Member States when deciding the steps to follow for that specific country," said a spokesperson for the European Commission.
    European leaders further highlighted that "healing the wounds of the past" requires "recognizing and teaching historical facts, honoring and remembering the victims, identifying those still missing and bringing all perpetrators to justice".
    At the conference about genocide in Sarajevo ahead of the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, Slovenia's President Nataša Pirc Musar stressed that the international community has a duty to stop genocidal acts. The president said this is important not only because of the atrocities that took place in Srebrenica but also because of the atrocities caused by the broken promise of "never again" around the world.
    Pirc Musar called for continuous efforts to recognise and prevent genocidal acts and preserve human dignity for all, referring to the situation in Gaza. "What is going on in Gaza is a defeat of humanity. Politicians must stop looking away and must act against genocidal behaviour." (The content is based on news by agencies participating in the enr, in this case AFP, ANSA, BTA, dpa, EFE, FENA, STA, Tanjug).
    (ANSA).