EurActiv Logo
EU-Nachrichten & Politikdebatten
- durch Sprachenvielfalt -
Click here for EU news »
EurActiv.com Réseau

ALLE SEKTIONEN BROWSEN

Sehr geehrte Leserinnen und Leser!

Auf Grund des großen Erfolgs von EurActiv Deutschland findet die komplette deutschsprachige EU-Berichterstattung des EurActiv-Netzwerkes nun über Euractiv.de statt.

Die deutschsprachige Fassung von EurActiv.com wird nicht mehr aktualisiert, alle bisherigen übersetzten Texte bleiben aber im Archiv für Sie verfügbar.

Wir freuen uns, Sie künftig auf EurActiv.de begrüßen zu dürfen!

Serbien entschuldigt sich für das Srebrenica-Massaker

Veröffentlicht 31. März 2010 - Aktualisiert 16. April 2010
DruckversionSend by email

Das serbische Parlament hat sich am 30. März für das Massaker 1995 in Srebrenica, in dem Tausende bosnische Muslime getötet wurden, entschuldigt, doch der Prozess zeigt lediglich, wie polarisiert das Land über seine Kriegsvergangenheit ist.

The resolution expressed sympathy for the victims and offered an apology for not doing enough to prevent the massacre, but stopped short of calling the killings "genocide".

The ruling coalition of pro-Western Democrats and Socialists hopes to win EU and investors' favour with the measure, which was adopted after a live TV debate of nearly 13 hours, which ended after midnight.

"We are taking a civilised step of politically-responsible people, based on political conviction, for the war crime that happened in Srebrenica," said Branko Ruzic, whose socialist party was led by strongman Slobodan Milosevic during the 1990s.

Bosnian Serb forces led by General Ratko Mladic killed about 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys after taking over the eastern enclave that was put under the UN protection. The massacre is Europe's worst atrocity since World War Two.

One Western diplomat stationed in Bosnia when the Srebrenica massacre occurred said passing the resolution without arresting Mladic meant little.

"As a substitute, it's offensive, it's an insult. Done in tandem with a legal step, then it's significant," the diplomat said. "If they think they can let Mladic run free for another 15 years, it's a grave injustice."

Belgrade applied for European Union membership in December but must capture and send Mladic to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague before starting talks. The former general, hailed as a hero by many Serbs, is believed to be hiding in Serbia.

Supporters, opponents raise voices

For some parliamentarians, the resolution was unjust for ignoring war crimes against Serbs.

In Srebrenica "the crime was no greater than in other places," said opposition MP Velimir Ilic, citing neighbouring Croatia's moves against Serbs during the war. "We can't put everything else off to the side."

Others, such as Cedomir Jovanovic of a liberal opposition party, criticised it for not deeming Srebrenica genocide.

"We wanted a completely different resolution but apparently that is not possible," he told the parliament. "Our society does not have the sufficient strength."

Dozens protested in front of the parliament, some carrying pictures of Mladic and Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic, who is on trial in The Hague for the Srebrenica genocide.

Another group carried small signs saying "Srebrenica was not in my name".

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic told Reuters last week the resolution should help improve strained ties with Bosnia.

"Srebrenica for us is an event that in the long run should open the door for future cooperation," he said.

Yet many in Bosnia, where 100,000 died during the 1992-95 war, found the Serbian resolution too little, too late.

"Many criminals who slaughtered and killed our children fled to Serbia where they live as free citizens and enjoy full rights," said Munira Subasic, the head of a Srebrenica women's association who lost her son and husband at Srebrenica.

"There is no apology for the crimes. Justice can only be served once all the criminals responsible for the atrocity are named and held accountable," she told Reuters Television.

(EurActiv with Reuters.)

Hintergrund : 

An estimated 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed in July 1995 by the army of Republika Srpska under the command of general Ratko Mladic and other paramilitary units in the Bosnian UN 'safe area' of Srebrenica (pronounced 'Srebrenitsa'). This took place despite the presence of 400 armed Dutch peacekeepers in the area (EurActiv 16/04/02).

In 2002, the government of Wim Kok accepted partial responsibility and resigned for having mishandled the situation in Srebrenica.

Ratko Mladic is recognised by the Hague tribunal as being responsible for the massacre. Mladic was also indicted in connection with crimes commited during the 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo. 

Of the 46 indictees requested of Serbia by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Belgrade has extradited all but three: one died before the transfer procedure could take place, while Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic are still at large. 

Hadzic faces several counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged involvement in the forcible removal and murder of thousands of Croatian civilians from the Republic of Croatia between 1991 and 1993.

Mehr über dieses Thema

More in this section

Advertising