The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York today, where he spoke about the war experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the genocide in Srebrenica, the current political situation in the country, global crises, the future of multilateralism and the need for consistent respect for international law. He said that Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite all the temptations, is a country that continues its path towards the European Union and NATO.
At the beginning of his speech, Bećirović said that it was an honor and a pleasure for him to speak at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stressing that his country “is a symbol of a nation that has survived difficult trials, but has not lost its way to a better future”. He recalled the period from 1992 to 1995, stating that Bosnia and Herzegovina was exposed to aggression, joint criminal enterprises, genocide against Bosniaks, crimes against humanity and other war crimes. According to him, after the end of the war in 1995, destructive forces continued to try to stop the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina through blockades, obstructions and other political mechanisms.
“They are slowing down our path to a modern European state, but they cannot stop it,” said Bećirović.
EU and NATO strategic goals of BiH
Bećirović pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina is today at the door of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He stated membership in the EU and NATO as strategic foreign policy goals of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, he said, were unanimously defined by the state authorities of BiH. In this context, he also spoke about the attempts to implement big state projects at the expense of the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“During the aggression, they attacked our country with armed means, and today they are doing it with political, diplomatic and other means,” he said.
He particularly emphasized the importance of the judgments of international courts, stating that the UN courts determined the nature of the war waged against Bosnia and Herzegovina and that the final judgments established the facts of the crimes committed, including the genocide against Bosniaks. According to Bećirović, these judgments also represent a condemnation of policies that tried to divide and destroy Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent, sovereign, indivisible and internationally recognized state.
“We live in a world of injustice, insecurity and intolerance”
Speaking about the global situation, Bećirović assessed that humanity is in a deep crisis.
As examples, he cited the strengthening of authoritarian populism, the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, the suffering of the population in Gaza, the war in the Gulf region, the catastrophic situation in Sudan and other crisis hotspots.
“We must not remain silent in the face of injustice,” he said.
Bećirović said that, in his opinion, the world did not react adequately to, as he said, the aggression against Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, just as it did not react adequately during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He described the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine as a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international law, while he called the situation in Gaza “the worst defeat of humanity in the 21st century”. According to him, the biggest global crises are related to the same problem – the erosion of international law.
“Disrespecting international law cannot lead the world to prosperity and a better future,” he said.
A call to strengthen the United Nations
Bećirović pointed out that without discovering the causes of the crisis of modern humanity, it is not possible to solve its problems.
He assessed that the politics of force cannot bring progress to humanity and called for the strengthening of international norms, rules and institutions.
He spoke in particular about the crisis of institutional trust in the multilateral system.
According to him, trust is weakening because certain actors of the international community are undermining the values contained in the UN Charter.
In this context, Bećirović singled out several priorities: reaffirming the importance of the UN Charter, revitalizing the role of the UN as a global center of coordination and cooperation, supporting reforms and strengthening the credibility of the United Nations, consistent implementation of sustainable development goals, building mutual trust and inclusiveness, and strengthening preventive diplomacy.
He said that the future of humanity cannot be based on violence and violation of human rights.
“Conflicts and wars are not the meaning of our civilization. We are building a culture of dialogue, cooperation and peace,” he said.
A call to respect human rights and prevent genocide
Bećirović called on UN members to focus on reaffirming interstate relations based on international law, respecting human rights and basic freedoms, and promoting peace and social progress.
Among the priorities he stated are the fight against hate speech and all forms of discrimination, strengthening the policy of prevention of genocide, crimes against humanity and other war crimes, improving the rights of women and children, and strengthening gender equality, healthcare and education.
“The world must return to the basic principles on which the UN is based,” said Bećirović.
Among these principles, he singled out respect for human dignity, sovereign equality of states, peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for international law.
BiH and global challenges
Bećirović presented Bosnia and Herzegovina as a reliable and responsible member of the United Nations.
He spoke about the state’s commitment to the fight against climate change, the transition to renewable energy sources and the reduction of harmful gas emissions.
He also emphasized the determination of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the fight against all forms of terrorism.
“We in Bosnia and Herzegovina know that peace is not something that can be taken for granted,” he said.
According to him, peace must be preserved every day, with the responsibility of political leaders, respect for rights and readiness for dialogue.
He also warned that international rules must be the same for all countries.
“There must not be one standard for large and another for small states,” he said, adding that trust in the international order can only be preserved if the rules are applied equally.
Srebrenica – the obligation to remember and fight against denial
Bećirović dedicated a special part of his address to the genocide in Srebrenica.
He reminded that Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only country in Europe where genocide was committed after the Second World War.
He emphasized the importance of the Resolution of the UN General Assembly from May 2024, which declared July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance and Commemoration of the Genocide in Srebrenica.
He assessed the adoption of the Resolution as a “highly moral and civilizational act”, stressing that it is important both for Bosnia and Herzegovina and for the United Nations.
Bećirović emphasized earlier that the Resolution represents a confirmation of the facts established before the highest international judicial institutions and that it is important for the credibility of international law and the multilateral order.
Criticism for glorifying Ratko Mladić
Bećirović particularly criticized, as he said, the institutional glorification of Ratko Mladić, a legally convicted war criminal.
“The monster Ratko Mladić is not a hero, but a legally convicted war criminal,” he said.
He assessed that the institutional glorification of legally convicted war criminals is unacceptable and represents an attack on the values of the United Nations.
He also recalled the judgments of the International Court of Justice in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina against Serbia and Montenegro, stating that Serbia was declared responsible for violating the obligations of the Convention on Genocide.
Bećirović called on the UN, the European Union and other international actors to condemn the glorification of legally convicted war criminals and to take concrete steps.
Warning due to the situation in Republika Srpska
In the continuation of the address, Bećirović warned about the current political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially about the actions of the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity.
He said that, in his opinion, the current leadership of Republika Srpska continues to threaten the peace and security of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.
“We must stop such a destructive policy together,” he said.
In particular, he spoke about the pressures on genocide victims and employees of the Srebrenica Memorial Center.
According to him, it is inadmissible for the entities of Republika Srpska to put pressure on the survivors and those who preserve the memory of the victims of the genocide.
Bećirović also warned against attempts to create assumptions for the secession of Republika Srpska.
As areas in which, according to his claims, he expects to intensify activities, he stated:
weakening and abolition of the mandate of the high representative of the international community;
weakening of the institution of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
and attempts to confiscate state property of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is an unconquerable state”
In the final part of the address, Bećirović emphasized the historical continuity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“There is not a single map of Southeast Europe in the last 1,000 years that does not have Bosnia or Bosnia and Herzegovina on it,” he said.
He said that there are people living in Bosnia and Herzegovina who, as he said, love freedom more than their own lives.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is an unconquerable state,” Bećirović pointed out.
At the end, he said that he was proud of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, describing them as people who were wronged, but who continue to fight for justice, people who were victims of lies, but continue to fight for the truth, and people who support the fight for justice, freedom and human dignity around the world.
“These are honorable and proud people of my homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina,” concluded the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Denis Bećirović.
Bećirović addressed the UN General Assembly on September 22, as part of the general debate of the 81st session, where global challenges and issues of peace, security and sustainable development are discussed.
