04/06/2012 Political Affairs and Democracy
Strasbourg, 04.06.2012 – “By denying the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica, the newly elected President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolić, has cast a shadow on the presidency,” said Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), Chair of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and former Rapporteur on reconciliation and political dialogue between the countries of the former Yugoslavia. “Recognition of responsibilities by all sides in the conflicts that ravaged the territory of the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995 is a precondition for reconciliation,” he added.
Both the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have qualified the acts committed by Bosnian Serbs in Srebrenica in 1995, which led to the killing of more than 8 000 persons, as acts of “genocide”. Serbia has been cleared of direct involvement but found in breach of international law for failing to prevent the massacre and for failing to try or transfer to the ICTY the persons accused of genocide.
“The resolution passed two years ago by the Serbian Parliament condemning the massacre in Srebrenica and apologising that Serbia did not do more to prevent the tragedy was welcomed by the international community as an important gesture by Serbia on the path towards full reconciliation. Going back on this today can only give rise to tension within the region and endanger Serbia’s path towards full European integration,” concluded Mr Marcenaro.