The Chairman of the Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PSBiH) in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PSVE), Saša Magazinović, at the invitation of Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Alicia Kearns, signed a joint statement of representatives of member states of the Council of Europe condemning the glorification of the legally convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić during his funeral, and the participation of the institutions of the Republic of Serbia in it.
The joint statement, which, according to MP Kearns’ announcements, will be made public at the end of next week, rejects any attempt to deny or glorify the crimes for which Mladić was convicted, including the genocide in Srebrenica, the siege of Sarajevo, ethnic cleansing in Foča, Vlasenica and Prijedor, camps for Bosniak and Croat detainees, mass sexual violence and taking members of the United Nations hostage.
On the occasion of signing the statement, Magazinović said that it is extremely important that people around the world react to the appalling glorification of war criminals and their crimes, especially when the institutions of the Republic of Serbia are behind it.
- The truth about the genocide in Srebrenica and other crimes is not a local issue, nor is the defense of that truth our only obligation. That is why I am grateful to my colleague Kearns and all the members of the European parliaments who will show with their signature that there is an awareness of the need for a strong reaction with the aim of preserving the truth, the dignity of the victims, but also the values on which the Council of Europe rests – said Magazinović.
The signatories pay tribute to the men, women and children who were killed, injured or expelled by the forces under Mladic’s command.
The statement emphasizes the actions of Serbian state institutions during the funeral of Ratko Mladić. It is stated that Serbia provided a plane to transport his remains, that the coffin was covered with national flags, that it was carried by active members of the army, that the commemoration was held in the Serbian Armed Forces House, and that he was buried with military honors and in the presence of ministers. Such actions send a message to the survivors that the crimes committed against them are a source of national pride.
The signatories warn that the violence continues with the falsification of history, and conclude that no country can honor a man convicted of genocide and at the same time remain faithful to the Statute of the Council of Europe – it was announced from the Club of SDPBiH deputies in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, as reported by the Public Relations Department of the PSBiH.
