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Serbia's step towards redemption

This article is more than 14 years old
A resolution apologising for allowing the Srebrenica massacre should be lauded – but an alleged war criminal still escapes trial

Last night Serbia's parliament, with a narrow majority, passed a resolution on Srebrenica. Obviously, this was a long and difficult struggle to achieve, and has lasted 15 years.

The text reads: "The parliament of Serbia strongly condemns the crime committed against the Bosnian Muslim population of Srebrenica in July 1995." It also formally extends an apology to the families of the victims, albeit in timid way, because "not everything was done to prevent the tragedy" .

Let us remind ourselves of what happened in Srebrenica: almost 15 years ago, on 13 July 1995, the army of the Republika Srpska together with Yugoslav troops (controlled by Serbia) under the command of General Ratko Mladic, executed some 8,000 mostly civilian Bosnian Muslim men in less than a week. In the trial at the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Mladic's deputy commander, Radislav Krstic, was tried for genocide and sentenced to 46 years in prison.

Srebrenica became the proof that it was possible to experience genocide in Europe even after the extermination of 6 million Jews. Also, let us remember that genocide is not defined by numbers of people killed, but primarily by the intention to exterminate a certain ethnic group or a nation. It is good to have this resolution first and foremost because Serbia, from Slobodan Milosevic downwards, always strongly denied any involvement in the war in Bosnia and responsibility for this massacre. Furthermore, Serbs even denied that the massacre (not to mention genocide) ever happened: students of the law school at the University in Belgrade proclaimed just that a few years ago.

But now, Serbia is recognising the fact that 8 000 Bosniaks were killed, and officially acknowledging responsibility for their massacre. Although not bringing about catharsis, this document no longer leaves room for denial.

But the resolution does not recognise that massacre in Srebrenica was an act of genocide, as defined by the ICTY. Victims' relatives also do not recognise it as a gesture of genuine regret – but as a political motion pushed through in order to facilitate joining the EU. It is interpreted as a half-measure, because the key alleged war criminal – Ratko Mladic – is still at large, as Serbia refuses to extradite him to the ICTY.

It is evident that the resolution is forced by the political will and has a formal character. But the political will to deal with this issue is extremely important, and the parliament of Serbia should be credited with that. Political will is still the key to resolving of any affairs in the Balkans.

If one has to summarise the importance of the resolution in one sentence, it could be: Good, but not good enough. However, in its validation, one should take a look at the Turks, and their long-standing problems with recognition of the Armenian genocide. Last but not least, it helps remembering that the most successful de-nazification process, forced on Germany by allies, took not years, but decades. The Srebrenica resolution should be greeted with cautious benevolence, but Mladic's extradition is Serbia's next crucial step.

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