The non-governmental organisations and civic activists who signed the appeal of 9 September 2026 today received a response from the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, concerning the glorification of war criminal Ratko Mladić by public officials. The EU Delegation clearly and unequivocally stated that the glorification of war criminals has no place either in the European Union or in candidate countries, and that Montenegro, as a candidate for EU membership, must respect the judgments of international courts, uphold the dignity of victims and their families, and reject any glorification or relativisation of war crimes.
This position of the EU Delegation further highlights what we have already warned about: the response of the Montenegrin authorities to Mandić’s telegram of condolence to Ratko Mladić’s son has so far been neither clear nor sufficient, nor in line with the standards the EU expects from a candidate country.
We remind the public that Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has still not personally addressed this issue.
His Europe Now Movement (PES), instead of clearly and unequivocally condemning the glorification of Ratko Mladić, limited itself to general statements about “leaving wartime rhetoric behind”, “choosing the future”, and respecting the judgments of international courts in principle, while avoiding specifically naming and condemning the act itself – the President of the Parliament of Montenegro expressing condolences to the son of a person finally convicted of genocide. Such generalisation by PES constitutes an unacceptable relativisation of Mandić’s gesture, which, in essence, amounted to support for the genocide in Srebrenica.
We strongly condemn, in particular, the statement by Europe Now Movement MP Jelena Nedović: “We respect the judgments of the Hague Tribunal, but we also remember the victims across the former Yugoslavia. We must not forget Bratunac and the photographs of murdered boys.” Through this inappropriate comparison, the PES MP attempted to justify the genocide committed against innocent civilians, which can never be justified. One crime cannot justify another, and genocide least of all. Such rhetoric by an MP from the ruling coalition is an alarming signal that, within Montenegro’s highest institutions, and beyond the President of Parliament himself, the Srebrenica genocide is no longer being treated as a fact that requires unequivocal condemnation.
We therefore ask: how can a party that presents itself as the driving force behind Montenegro’s European path, and which bears the greatest responsibility for promoting in practice the values on which the European Union is founded, simultaneously claim that it is “choosing the future” while refusing to clearly condemn genocide and its perpetrators?
We once again call on Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to:
- personally and publicly, without further delay, condemn the glorification of Ratko Mladić and the Srebrenica genocide by public officials;
- clearly distance himself from the explanation that this was merely a matter of “custom”, as President of the Parliament Andrija Mandić sought to portray his gesture;
- clearly condemn MP Nedović’s public attempt to justify the Srebrenica genocide and the war criminal Ratko Mladić;
- withdraw political support from officials who glorify war criminals, in line with the standards clearly articulated by the European Union.
Montenegro cannot simultaneously seek progress on its European path while tolerating silence from its highest state officials in the face of the glorification of genocide. The response of the EU Delegation is unequivocal. The Government of Montenegro must demonstrate with equal clarity that it genuinely shares European values.
- Human Rights Action (HRA)
- Centre for Civic Education (CCE)
- Centre for Women’s and Peace Education ANIMA
- Juventas
- Association “Štrpci – Against Oblivion”
- Women’s Rights Center (WRC)
- Association SPEKTRA
- PRIMA
- Centre for Development of Non-Governmental Organisations (CRNVO)
- Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG)
- Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby Association
- Association of LBTQ Women “Stana”
- Women’s Action
- Montenegrin Lawyers Committee for the Protection of Human Rights
- Antifascists of Cetinje
- Women’s Safe House
- Civic Initiative 21 May
- First Women’s Environmental Movement in Montenegro – Ecopatriotism
- Bihor Cultural Centre
- Ikre Rožaje
- Centre for Roma Initiatives
- Centre for Democratic Transition (CDT)
- 35mm
- Ipso Facto
- Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI)
- Montenegrin PEN Centre
- Montenegrin Philological Society
- Montenegro Media Institute (MMI)
- Montenegrin LGBTIQ Association Queer Montenegro
- Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM)
- Green Home
- Korifej teatar
- Association for the Protection and Promotion of Citizens’ Rights “Pravozastupnik”
- Municipal Multiple Sclerosis Association Bijelo Polje
- Roma Youth Organisation “Walk with Us – Phiren Amenca”
- Forum of Bosniaks in Montenegro
- Bonum – Pljevlja
- Natura
- Ul-Info
- Multimedijal
- Fund for Progressive Policies
- Husein Paša
- Agora Femina
- Mogul
- Youth Activism Network of Montenegro (MOACG)
- Expeditio
- Initiative for Regional Cooperation of Montenegro (Igman Initiative)
- Montenegrin Society of Independent Writers
- Alternative Theatre Company (ATAK)
- Association of Lawyers of Montenegro
- STEGA – Strategy for a European and Civic Montenegro
- Montenegrin Women’s Lobby
- Active Zone
Civic activists:
- Jovana Marović
- Dina Bajramspahić
- Paula Petričević
- Milena Bešić
- Aleksandar Dragićević
- Darko Saveljić
- Emir Pilav
- Nikoleta Đukanović
- Milica Kankaraš Berber
- Sabina Talović
- Goran Đurović
- Almedina Dodić
- Danijel Kalezić
- Biljana Maslovarić
- Vuk Vučeraković
- Mato Kankaraš
- Veselin Radulović
- Mladen Ivanović
- Vuk Iković
- Milo Perović
- Aleksandar Saša Zeković