The 30th anniversary of one of the most horrific crimes against civilians committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was marked at the Tuzla Gate. A grenade fired from Ozren on May 25, 1995 at 8:55 p.m. killed 71 people and wounded more than 170. The average age of those killed was 23, and the youngest victim was two-year-old Sandro Kalesić.
The Prime Minister of Tuzla Canton Irfan Halilagić stated that the fact that the person convicted of this crime, Novak Đukić, is still at large in Serbia represents a gross disrespect for the victims and the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Đukić is not hiding – he lives freely in Serbia. That needs to be said clearly. Political Belgrade, as it is, is not a friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is another example of an institutional relationship that sends a message to victims that justice is not available,” said Halilagić.
For this crime, Đukić was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but he is not serving the sentence because he is in Serbia, which refuses to extradite him.
The Tuzla Canton government has declared May 25th a Day of Mourning. Flags have been lowered to half-mast, and cultural and media content has been adapted to mark this day of sorrow and remembrance, Fena writes.
