The decision to annul the Srebrenica report is a regrettable and short-sighted move that will only serve to deepen divisions and derail the reconciliation process, said OSCE Special Representative on South East Europe, Mark Pritchard.
In response to a decision by the Republika Srpska National Assembly (RSNA) requesting the annulment of the 2004 Report of the Commission for Investigation of the Events in and around Srebrenica in July 1995 which acknowledged the mass killing of Bosniaks by Serb forces Pritchard said the decision is a short-sighted move that will only serve to deepen divisions and derail the reconciliation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
related news
“The facts established in the 2004 report are not in dispute, having been confirmed by international and domestic criminal courts. The wounds of the Srebrenica tragedy should not be reopened for short-term political gains and Bosnia’s leaders must avoid divisive, nationalistic rhetoric ahead of the general elections in October,” he stressed.
Pritchard concluded by saying:
“I urge parliamentarians to reconsider this decision for the sake of reconciliation and to focus on issues of importance for Bosnian citizens, namely economic opportunities and prosperity, education, health care and the fight against corruption.”
The decision to reject the 2004 report was taken on August 14 by the RSNA. On August 18, the RS Government, which published the original Report, decided to annul it in a special session.
