Bosniak Institute Cancels Russian Concert Over Srebrenica Genocide Denial Concerns

The Bosniak Institute in Sarajevo cancelled a concert by students from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. The event was scheduled to take place on October 12 in the Gazi Husrev-beg hamam. Following the decision, the Institute and the Russian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina offered conflicting explanations.

The Bosniak Institute stated that the Russian Embassy initially presented itself as the sole organizer. However, a promotional poster arrived one day before the show featuring three additional organizations. The Institute noted that these groups face European Union sanctions and are linked to the denial of the Srebrenica genocide. Due to a lack of transparency, the Institute called off the event. It emphasized that it will not tolerate genocide denial in its venues.

The Russian Embassy gave a different version of events. It claimed the Institute cancelled the concert just two hours before the start time. The Embassy asserted that the Institute yielded to pressure from anti-Russian figures in politics and the media. It also warned that the decision damages cultural cooperation between the two countries.