In uniforms with the insignia of Bosnia and Herzegovina, some of the highest officials of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Deputy Minister Aleksandar Goganović and Chief of the Joint Staff Gojko Knežević, bowed and paid their respects in front of the monument that resembles the silhouette of the war criminal Ratko Mladić in Kalinovik. It caused a sharp reaction from the public, but also a series of questions, both about the possible consequences and about the morality of the military establishment.
A monument dedicated to the fallen fighters in Kalinovik, the birthplace of Ratko Mladić, built in the exact shape of the cap worn by the convicted war criminal. It was at that place that Knežević saluted and Goganović laid flowers. How this act will be interpreted and whether there will be possible sanctions remains to be seen, but the Deputy Minister of Defense does not see anything controversial in the whole story.
“This is a monument to the members of the Guards Brigade and the fighters of Kalinovik. On the top is a Serbian cap, as part of the conceptual design of the monument, which was worn by Serbian officers not only in the last Defense-Patriotic War, but also in the First World War,” says the deputy minister. of Defense of BiH Aleksandar Goganović.
The Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, asked the Ministry’s inspectorate to investigate information from the media. He did not want to prejudge.
“I immediately ordered the inspectorate to investigate the case and establish all the facts. After the report is drawn up and submitted, I will make a decision in which direction to go,” said Helez.
The events in Kalinovik are scandalous for the high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, who spoke about everything before the UN Security Council. The BiH Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that they had received two reports about the said event.
“One report refers to persons who allegedly glorified persons convicted of war crimes, and the second report for the criminal offense of false reporting against the applicant of the first report, which states that it is not a criminal offense, and that it is a marking that does not exist connections with persons convicted of war crimes”, state the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the past period, the Prosecutor’s Office received a number of complaints against those who deny genocide and glorify war criminals, and only last month the first indictment was filed.
“Our problem is the non-functioning of the institutions and all others based on the principles of the rule of law. Since the Dayton Agreement was reached, we simply have not built these institutions in a responsive and quality manner so that the citizens would gain trust in them. Why they don’t, that’s what we should all ask ourselves.” , says lawyer Slaven Bevanda.
Amendments to the Criminal Code prohibiting the denial of genocide, but also the glorification of those convicted of genocide and war crimes, were imposed by former High Representative Valentin Inzko in July 2021. It raised a lot of dust, to the extent that state institutions were blocked for months, but according to the Prosecutor’s Office, one is certain today – negation is less and less in public space, BHRT writes.
Photo: Faktor.ba
