Montenegro's Ruling Party Urged to Condemn War Criminal Tribute

Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister and leader of the Europe Now Movement (PES), has been criticized for not condemning Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić. Mandić sent a condolence telegram following the death of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić. Instead of a condemnation, PES presented Jelena Nedović as a target of civil sector attacks. Nedović had stated that PES would not support Mandić's removal. She argued PES supports international court decisions from The Hague but also respects victims in Bratunac.

Critics argue this statement attempts to relativize and justify the Srebrenica genocide. They cite sources like Dr. Dragan Popović's book, "Losing Humanity – Srebrenica as a Historical Fact," which describes such denial narratives. While all civilian victims, including those in Bratunac, deserve respect, truth, and accountability, the Srebrenica genocide and the glorification of convicted perpetrators cannot be relativized with qualifications like "but."

The authors of this statement reiterate their call for Prime Minister Spajić to clearly condemn Mandić's telegram. They demand Mandić's dismissal. This action, they believe, would send a clear message of support to the mothers of Srebrenica. They also urge the government to withdraw support from any public official who glorifies war criminals, emphasizing that these actions reflect true European values. They suggest that an aggressive campaign by PES officials against civil society indicates discomfort in defending supporters of war criminals, aiming instead to shift focus. This joint statement was signed by numerous non-governmental organizations, including Akcija za ljudska prava (HRA) and Centar za građansko obrazovanje (CGO), along with many civil activists.