“Overall, the 1990s are perceived as one of the most difficult periods in the recent history of the Balkans but also as extremely important for shaping our society. There is a prevailing belief that the ideologies and policies that led to the wars and crimes of the 1990s still persist in Montenegro. Opinions on dealing with the wartime past of the 1990s are divided. Almost half of the citizens doubt the ability of Montenegrin judiciary to prosecute war crimes, while the majority believes that key institutions and political parties are not sufficiently committed to transitional justice, while the engagement of non-governmental organizations and the media are seen as more positive in this process,” stated some of the findings from the research presented today by the Centre for Civic Education (CGO/CCE) on citizens’ knowledge and perceptions of the 1990s in Montenegro and the region. The research is part of the project “Education for the Future – Transitional Justice for Reconciliation,” implemented within the EU-funded regional programme “EU Support for Building Trust in the Western Balkans”, carried out by UNDP.
“The dominant associations of Montenegrin citizens with the 1990s are mostly negative, primarily related to war (44.0%), followed by bombing (10.5%) and inflation (8.7%). A small fraction of positive associations is linked to music. At the same time, 60% of respondents consider this period important for modern society, which explains the majority belief that young people should learn about the events of the 1990s within formal education,” stated Damir Suljević, Human Rights Programme Coordinator at CCE, presenting the research findings.
“Less than half of respondents – 45.7% – have heard of the anti-war movement in Montenegro during the 1990s, while 54.7% believe that the ideologies that led to the conflicts still exist. The majority (71.8%) consider that Montenegro participated in the wars of the 1990s, and 49.7% state that war crimes occurred on its territory, with the most well-known cases being Štrpci (22.9%), Bukovica (22.5%), and the Morinj camp (18%),“ explained Suljević.
Around 4/5 of respondents know about the attack on Dubrovnik in October 1991, and nearly 2/3 of them believe that it was not a justified military action.
“A vast majority of respondents – 83.4% – say they know what happened in Srebrenica in July 1995. Among them, over 65% believe that genocide was committed there, while a nearly equal percentage (63.3%) supports the Montenegrin government’s decision to endorse the UN Resolution on the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide,” stated Ivana Matanović, programme associate at CCE, commenting on the research findings.
Nearly 70% of respondents have heard of Operation “Storm“, and of those, around 80% believe that it was a “joint criminal enterprise,” as stated in the verdict of the Hague Tribunal. Additionally, nearly 50% of respondents have heard of the “Lora” case, and they perceive Serbs and Montenegrins as the dominant groups among the victims in Lora.
Regarding NATO’s intervention in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), 86.8% know for that, but at the same time, most of them do not know the exact number of casualties.
“The majority of respondents (40.9%) believe that Montenegro has not faced its wartime past from the 1990s, while more than half (53.3%) support the process of dealing with the past. In this context, there is also expressed support for regional cooperation and the RECOM Initiative,” stated Matanović.
The research also revealed that citizens have limited knowledge about memorial culture related to the victims of the 1990s wars in Montenegro. More than half of the respondents (55.2%) believe that it is important that state finance projects that document war crimes and preserve the memory of the victims.
Key state institutions and the judiciary are perceived as insufficiently engaged in promoting transitional justice, whereas NGOs and media are viewed more positively in this regard.
“None of the political parties or coalitions are perceived as strong advocates of transitional justice, but there are differences in the degree of negative and positive assessments. While certain parties, such as the Bosniak Party, DPS, and PES, have relatively better ratings, most other entities register a high rate of negative responses, indicating a perception of their insufficient commitment to this issue,” explained Suljević.
“The findings indicate that citizens doubt the ability of the Montenegrin judiciary to prosecute war crimes – almost half of the respondents believe that it lacks the necessary capacities, while about a quarter think otherwise. Additionally, almost half of the respondents are unaware that Montenegrin citizens have been indicted for war crimes committed in the 1990s, while over two-fifths believe that trials for these crimes have never taken place in Montenegro,” stated Suljević.
More than half of the respondents believe that the state of Montenegro should compensate the victims of war crimes if determined by the court, while 41% support the extradition of Montenegrin citizens accused of war crimes, compared to 34% who oppose it.
The prevailing view is that responsibility for war crimes lies with individuals rather than entire nations. However, opinions are polarized regarding the accountability of different sides and the suffering of various national groups.
The majority of respondents negatively assess NATO’s 1999 intervention, considering it an act of aggression during which crimes were committed. Views on Montenegro’s NATO membership are divided, with a decline in those who support it.
“There is notable skepticism regarding the Hague Tribunal – 33.1% of respondents highlight its selective approach. However, there is relatively strong agreement (41.1%) that the tribunal’s rulings must be respected, though a significant number of respondents do not have a firmly established opinion on this matter,” emphasized Suljević.
The survey was conducted between 21 and 29 January 2025, using the CAPI method, on a stratified random sample of 1,000 adult respondents from Montenegro. The research was carried out with the expert support of the DAMAR Institute.
Maja Marinović, Programme Associate