BRUSSELS – There is no place in Europe for genocide denial, historical revisionism, or the glorification of convicted war criminals, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said in a joint statement issued today ahead of the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide on 11 July.
They recalled that tomorrow Europe will commemorate the more than 8,300 Bosniak men and boys who were killed in Srebrenica 31 years ago.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims of the genocide. We share the grief of those who still do not know the fate of their loved ones, and we stand with those who survived the events of July 1995”, Kallas and Kos said.
Describing the Srebrenica genocide as one of the darkest chapters in Europe’s history, they stressed that it should serve as a lasting commitment to building peaceful societies, protecting human life and dignity and upholding the fundamental values on which the European Union was founded.
“We honour the victims by seeking the truth, preserving their memory, and ensuring that the lessons of Srebrenica are passed on to future generations. This was also the purpose of the UN resolution adopted two years ago, which proclaimed 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica”, Kallas and Kos stated.
They reiterated that there is no place in Europe for those who deny genocide or glorify convicted war criminals.
“We call on leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the region to choose responsibility over division, dialogue over confrontation, and to support the ongoing process of locating and identifying the remaining victims,” the two EU officials added.
Healing the wounds of the past, they said, requires courage, genuine commitment, and dedication to reconciliation.
The European Union remains firmly committed to the European future of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign, united, multi-ethnic, and democratic state, Kallas and Kos concluded.
