Dr. Ernest Petrič (left), Munira Subašič
PRESS RELEASE
Munira Subašić visits IFIMES
LJUBLJANA, 29 April 2015 – Director of the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) Zijad Bećirović and Vice President of the IFIMES Advisory Board Prof. Dr. Ernest Petrič met with Munira Subašić today, president of the Association "Mothers of Enclaves of Srebrenica and Žepa Movement."
Director of the Institute Bećirović presented the activities of the Institute in the Balkan region, with emphasis on Bosnia and Herzegovina and on the judicial prosecution of war crimes. He stressed that the determination of truth, and implementation of rights derrived from this truth, is the only path to reconciliation, sustainable peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The effective functioning of the judicial system of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) based in The Hague, is therefore of the utmost importance. Bećirović pointed out that it is unacceptable that individuals who have participated in war crimes and genocide are deeply embedded in the security and defense institutions of the entity of Republika Srpska, and are consequently embedded in similar institutions at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is necessary to carry out a thorough checking of these personnel within the security and defense structures, and it is necessary to carry out the judicial processing of perpetrators of war crimes. It is outrageous that the victims of the Srebrenica genocide are daily facing perpetrators of these crimes wearing police uniforms. These people, forever tarnished by their roles in perpetration of hineous war crimes, are now responsible for ensuring public order and peace.
Munira Subašić presented the activities of the Association "Mothers of Enclaves of Srebrenica and Žepa Movement", and announced an international conference on genocide, entitled "Researching, documenting and processing the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina", which will be held in Sarajevo on 11 and 12 June 2015. She invited Dr. Petric to be the introductory speaker, and he was pleased to accept.
As a sign of gratitude to dr. Petrič, prominent international lawyer, for his efforts and contribution to the promotion of truth, justice and indispensable reconciliation, and as a sign of respect to a man who showed a deep understanding for the victims of the genocide, Mrs. Subašić presented dr. Petrič with the silver order of the "Flower of Srebrenica". The order symbolizes the suffering and dying in the Srebrenica genocide, and at the same time presents a symbol of love, life, and hope for a better future.
The IFIMES International Institute believes that it is important that the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina which still has not adopted the resolution on Srebrenica, does so with utmost haste. The European Parliament calls on all EU Member States, as well as on all the Western Balkan countries, to mark July 11 as a day of remembrance for the genocide of Srebrenica. The passing of the Srebrenica resolution in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina would be seen as a positive signal to all the victims of this barbaric act. In this resolution, unanimously adopted by all the political groups in the EP, it is emphasized that it is necessary to remember, and respectfully pay a tribute to, all victims of crimes committed during the wars in the Balkans.
During conversation the interlocutors exchanged views on the current developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and on the possibilities for creating better existential conditions for the surviving victims of the genocide in Srebrenica, particularly with tackling the problem of unemployment.
The meeting was also attended by Mayor of Srebrenica Ćamil Duraković.
Ljubljana, 29 April 2015
