Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed condolences to the relatives of the victims of Srebrenica on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the tragic events in July 1995, BTA reports.
„Today marks thirty years since the terrible crime in Srebrenica. We cannot change the past, but we must change the future. "Once again, on behalf of the citizens of Serbia, I express my condolences to the families of the Bosnian victims, convinced that such a crime will never happen again," Vučić wrote on the social network X.
Last night, in an interview with the Serbian TV channel "Pink", the president expressed pride that in 2015, as prime minister, he attended the memorial ceremony in Potocari. He emphasized that despite the pressure and attacks, his presence was a sign of respect for the victims.
On July 11, 2015, Vučić participated in the memorial ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the massacre. During the event, he was booed and objects were thrown at him by attendees, after which he was escorted by security.
Both then and now, Vučić avoids using the term “genocide“, even though international and national courts recognize it as such. The crime, committed by Bosnian Serb forces under the command of Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić, is the worst in Europe since World War II.
In July 1995, more than 8,300 Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) were killed in and around the town of Srebrenica, then declared a “safe zone” by the UN. The victims were hunted down, executed, and their bodies buried in mass graves, later dug up to cover up the evidence.
Forty-seven people have been convicted of the crimes in Srebrenica, with a total of over 700 years in prison. Karadzic and Mladic were sentenced to life in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.
Serbia and some Bosnian Serb leaders continue to dispute the definition of “genocide”, despite international recognition. The civil war in Bosnia between 1992 and 1995 ended with over 100,000 victims and millions displaced, with Srebrenica remaining the most severe and symbolic episode of that conflict.