High Representative Christian Schmidt visited the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center to meet with the management of the center and representatives of Movement Mothers of Srebrenica and the epa enclaves and associations that gather families of genocide victims.
They discussed plans for the Memorial Center, activities of associations aimed at preserving the memory of the Srebrenica genocide, and what can be done to help competent state institutions combating the denial of Srebrenica genocide and war crimes, including glorification of war criminals.
The High Representative also reflected on ways of avoiding misunderstandings and strengthening efforts to avoid abuse of the Srebrenica genocide for political purposes and added that it is absolutely necessary to be sensitive and precise when talking about the genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The need for swift legal processing of all those who deny war crimes or those who glorify perpetrators of these crimes is an issue that is important for reconciliation processes in society. The denial of war crimes and glorification of convicted war criminals has a negative effect on reconciliation efforts and must be tackled by competent institutions with the full force of the law, said High Representative.
In this light, the High Representative informed his interlocutors about the meeting he had with the BiH State Prosecutor to learn more about war crimes and how it could be tackled more effectively. The High Representative is committed to finding international partners with expertise in this field to help judicial institutions in BiH prosecute cases of denial of war crimes or glorification of war criminals with more vigor.
After his decision to amend the Law on the Center for the Srebrenica-Poto ari Memorial and Cemetery for the Victims of the Genocide in 1995, the High Representative wanted to hear about the concrete effects of that decision on the work of the Memorial Center. High Representative Schmidt notes that the work and legacy of the Srebrenica-Poto ari Memorial Center is important for reconciliation efforts in BiH society. The Memorial Center needs to develop, free of financial burdens, to fulfill this important role.