Tomorrow marks the 30th years since the genocide in Srebrenica, the largest mass atrocity committed on European soil since World War II.
The undersigned Montenegrin non-governmental organizations, the Bosniak Council, and civic activists pay tribute to the victims, express solidarity with the survivors and their families, and protest the failure of Montenegrin authorities to declare a Remembrance Day for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, despite last year’s resolution of the UN General Assembly, which Montenegro voted in favour of.
We recall that exactly one year ago, 76 Montenegrin NGOs demanded that Montenegro declare a Remembrance Day for the Srebrenica genocide and ensure its official commemoration, in line with the United Nations Resolution proclaiming 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Remembrance of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, as well as the Montenegrin Parliament’s 2021 Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide and its Declaration accepting the European Parliament’s 2009 Resolution on Srebrenica.
However, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić’s Government and the Montenegrin Parliament, led by Andrija Mandić, have done nothing to implement these obligations. Even worse, to our knowledge, no member of the Government or Parliament has initiated such a proposal.
We emphasize that international and national court rulings have determined that members of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS), from 11 to 19 July 1995, deliberately and systematically killed over 8,000 unarmed Bosniak men and boys, aged between 14 and 70. More than 600 children were killed, including the youngest victim – a baby born on 13 July 1995, whose remains were exhumed from a mass grave near Srebrenica in 2012.
The ICTY and the International Residual Mechanism have convicted 21 individuals for crimes committed in Srebrenica, seven of them for genocide, based on more than 1,500 testimonies and around 28,000 pieces of evidence. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 31 individuals have been convicted for the same crimes, 14 of them for genocide; in Serbia, five members of the “Scorpions” special police unit were convicted; and in Croatia, two individuals. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) also ruled that genocide occurred in Srebrenica, and that the Republic of Serbia was responsible for failing to prevent it, despite having the means and obligation to do so. Although Montenegro, then part of the State Union with Serbia, was not formally included in that ruling after gaining independence, the judgment has political and moral relevance for our country.
We emphasize that the question of whether genocide occurred is strictly a legal category – not a political one. Determining responsibility for the genocide in Srebrenica involved 46 judges from 34 countries in two-tiered proceedings before the ICTY. The ICJ’s ruling involved 15 judges from various countries. Denying the genocide in Srebrenica amounts to denying the legitimacy of international judiciary.
Montenegro has adopted the Declaration accepting the European Parliament Resolution on Srebrenica in 2009 and passed the 2021 Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide, both of which strongly condemned the genocide. Montenegro also voted for the UN Resolution on the International Day of Remembrance for the Srebrenica Genocide and dismissed its Minister of Justice, Human and Minority Rights, Vladimir Leposavić, for relativizing the genocide. These were important steps towards a more secure future for our country and the region within the European Union – steps to be proud of.
On the other hand, Montenegrin government today includes Serbian nationalist parties that, unfortunately, deny the genocide and seize every opportunity to demean the victims, insisting on a “competition in victimhood” based on ethnicity. The irresponsible insistence to unconditionally favor Serbian victims led the Parliament to urgently adopt a Resolution condemning the genocide in Jasenovac in June 2024, delivering an undiplomatic blow to Croatia and jeopardizing EU accession talks.
The Parliament of Montenegro has recently ignored the request of the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office to lift the immunity of a Member of Parliament due to hate speech. This is a disturbing incident unbecoming of a country seeking EU membership and claiming to uphold the rule of law.
We reiterate our firm opposition to the “crime for a crime” approach, condemn the practice of passing “counter-resolutions,” and emphasize that we do not want future generations growing up consumed by hatred or feelings of provincial inferiority in conflict with their neighbours.
We urge Montenegro to take responsibility for shaping a future in which new generations are spared new suffering. The victims of all crimes – regardless of faith or ethnicity – oblige us to advocate for justice, truth, and reconciliation, and to build a society that respects and protects every person, regardless of their national, religious, or ethnic identity.
We invite everyone to join us in commemorating Srebrenica Remembrance Day on 11 July, at 10 AM, in the Memorial Park for Civilian Victims in Pobrežje, Podgorica.1
Signatories:
- Human Rights Action (HRA), Tea Gorjanc Prelević
- Centre for Civic Education (CCE/CGO), Daliborka Uljarević
- Center for Women and Peace Education – ANIMA, Ervina Dabižinović
- Bosniak Council in Montenegro, Suljo Mustafić
- Forum of Bosniaks in Montenegro, Mirsad Rastoder
- Center for Culture – Bihor, Semir Škrijelj
- Alfa Centre, Miloš Perović
- Agora Femina, Maja Bogojević
- Agency for Local Democracy, Kerim Međedović
- Active Zone, Miloš Marković
- Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Dr. Nebojša Vučinić
- Antifascists of Cetinje, Filip Kuzman
- Association SPEKTRA, Jovan Ulićević
- Balkan Sector, Aner Salihović
- Better Future, Ahmed Bektešević
- Bona Fidae Pljevlja, Sabina Talović
- CAZAS, Mišo Pejković
- Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN CG), Milka Tadić Mijović
- Center for Affirmation of RE Population – CAREP, Nardi Ahmetović
- Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM), Nevenka Vuksanović
- Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), Milica Kovačević
- Center for Training and Education, Aleksandra Radoman Kovačević
- Montenegrin Centre for Protection and Research of Birds (CZIP), Jovana Janjušević
- Women’s Rights Center (WRC), Maja Raičević
- Center for Monitoring and Research (CeMI), Zlatko Vujović
- Center for Roma Initiatives, Fana Delija
- Center for Development of NGOs, Zorana Marković
- Center for Economic and European Studies (CEES), Nenad Vujošević
- Center for Civic Freedoms (CEGAS), Marija Popović Kalezić
- Centre for Multimedia Production (CEZAM), Blagota Marunović
- Montenegrin PEN Center, Dr. Adnan Čirgić
- Queer Montenegro – Montenegrin LGBTIQ Association, Staša Baštrica
- Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights, Velija Murić
- Montenegrin Women’s Lobby, Aida Petrović
- Montenegrin Philological Society, Dr. Milan Marković
- Montenegrin Association for Political Sciences (MoPSA), Prof. Dr. Olivera Komar
- Montenegrins Danilovgrad, Alek Barović
- Montenegrin Helsinki Committee (CHO), Miodrag Vlahović
- Montenegrin Forum, Jelena Marković
- Montenegrin Cultural Circle, Sreten Zeković
- Children of Montenegro, Sabra Decević
- Society of Montenegrin Publishers, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Vojinović
- Dr. Martin Schneider‑Jacoby Association (MSJA), Zenepa Lika
- Eduko Centre, Almedina Dodić
- eMDe Alliance – Community of Montenegrin Associations in Germany, Emira Mustajbasić Ličina
- ERA – Alliance for Equal LGBTQ Rights in the Western Balkans and Turkey, Danijel Kalezić
- Civic Initiative “21 May”, Rade Bojović
- Civic Alliance, Milan Radović
- Gradionica, Goran Janković
- Green Home, Azra Vuković
- Husein Paša – Pljevlja, Denijal Geljić
- Husein Paša, Mr. Emir Pilav
- Ikre, Rožaje, Velida Hodžić
- Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Amina Murić
- Initiative for Regional Cooperation of Montenegro (Igman Initiative), Andro Martinović
- Montenegrin Media Institute (IMCG), Olivera Nikolić
- Gender Policy Institute “Dulcinea” Ulcinj, Hadixha Gjoni
- Institute for Social‑Political Research “Analitico”, Ana Nenezić
- Ipso Facto, Milena Popović Samardžić
- Juventas, Ivana Vujović
- Korifer Theatre – Kolašin, Zoran Rakočević
- House, Pavić Radović
- Heritage House, Valon Kovaçi
- LINK – Montenegrin Harm Reduction Network, Ranko Dacić
- Mare Mare, Dubravka Raičević
- Monitoring Group Ulcinj – Mogul, Xhemal Peroviq
- Monte Lingva, Jadranka Đurković
- Bridge of Culture, Podgorica, Ivan Jokanović
- Network for Youth Activism, David Vukićević
- Mrav, Rožaje, Munevera Sutović
- Multimedial, Željko Đukić
- Scientific‑Technological Hub ZNANJE – EPISTEME, Ivan Martinović
- New Horizon, Ulcinj, Nazif Velić
- Optimists, Ana Milović Jasikovac
- Municipal Association for Multiple Sclerosis – Bijelo Polje, Lidija Guberinić
- Movement for Development of Tuzi, Mustafa Pepić
- Poligon for Female Excellence – Sofia, Rebeka Čilović
- Prima, Aida Perović
- Legal Advocate, Budislav Budo Minić
- Empty Space, Marija Backović
- First Women’s Ecological Movement in Montenegro – Ecopatriotism, Ivana Čogurić Rašović
- Punta Institute, Ulcinj, Admir Gjoni
- Development Vranj, Tuzi
- Roma Youth Organization “Walk with Us – Phiren Amenca”, Elvis Beriša
- Safe Women’s House, Budislavka Mira Saveljić
- Sistem, Neda Radović
- Sociological Centre of Montenegro SOCEN, Dr. Nikoleta Đukanović
- Social Justice, Marija Mijušković Kastratović
- SOS Telephone for Women and Children Victims of Violence Plav, Esmeralda Šuvakić
- SOS Telephone for Women and Children Victims of Violence – Ulcinj, Hatixhe Nelaj
- SOS Telephone Podgorica, Biljana Zeković
- STEGA, Vladimir Nikaljević
- Student Organization Adamas
- TNT, Dragan Lučić
- LGBTQ Women’s Association “Stana”, Ana Dedivanović
- Association of Visual Artists of Montenegro, Svetlana Dragojević
- Association of Youth with Disabilities of Montenegro, Marina Vujačić
- Bar Association of Montenegro, Branislav Radulović
- HIPMONT Association of History Teachers, Miloš Vukanović
- OAZA Parents’ Association, Rasema Hekalo
- Association “Štrpci – Against Oblivion”, Demir Ličina
- Women’s Association “Local Quality”, Aldijana Đonović Madžar
- Association for Support of Roma and Egyptians, Berane, Sultan Beća
- Ulcinj Info, Mustafa Canka
- Forum MNE – Youth and Non‑formal Education Forum, Elvira Hadžibegović
- 35mm, Darko Ivanović
Civic activists:
- Jovana Marović, civic activist
- Dina Bajramspahić, political scientist and civic activist
- Tamara Milaš, civic activist
- Dušan Pajović, left‑wing activist
- Darko Saveljić, ornithologist and civic activist
- Goran Đurović, lawyer and civic activist
- Kristina Mihailović, civic activist
- Sofija Kirsanov, civic activist
- Milena Bešić, civic activist
- Mila Kasalica, economist and civic activist
- Aleksandar Dragićević, civic activist
- Haxhi Lajçi, civic activist
- Aleksandar Saša Zeković, civic activist