EU condemns Montenegro Justice Minister’s denial of Srebrenica genocide

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The European Union rejects and condemns any denial, relativisation or misinterpretation of the genocide in Srebrenica, Ana Pisonero, a European Commission (EC) spokesperson, has said on Monday.

Her reaction followed Montenegro’s Justice, Human and Minority Rights Minister Vladimir Leposavic, who last week told the country’s Parliament he did not know whether there was „genocidal intent in 1995 in Srebrenica“, but that he could only believe in the verdict by The Hague court which, as he said, lost its legitimacy.

He added said he was ready to admit that genocide took place in Srebrenica when it was „unequivocally established“.

On Monday, Pisonero said that „last year, we marked the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, one of the darkest chapters in modern European history. It is high time that all political leaders in the region lead the way in respecting the victims and promoting reconciliation.“

She added the European Union was a union of values. The denial of well-documented facts about war events, including war crimes, or revisionism contradicted those values’ most basic.

„Every country aspiring to join the EU is expected to respect and promote the EU values of democracy, human rights, tolerance and justice. That includes treating the victims of genocide with the utmost respect and dignity, „Pisonero warned.