A war crimes convict who has served his sentence does not cease being a war crime convict, the European Union's office in Sarajevo said commenting on the recent statement by the President of the Federation entity regarding a convicted war criminal.

“The comments by FBiH President Lidija Bradara on this issue are unhelpful, divisive and inflammatory. The all too present tendency in BiH to condemn war crimes only when they were committed by other peoples, while failing to condemn war crimes committed by one’s own people is a continued source of tension and instability in BiH,” the EU Delegation told N1.

The comment comes days after Bradara, senior Bosnian Croat politician, said that convicted war criminal Dario Kordic “stopped being a war crime convict after servinb his sentence,” sparking reactions of victim associations, some political parties and international organisations.

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“We urge all political leaders to recognise and condemn all war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and work with other communities in the country for a stable and peaceful future for all,” the EU's office said.

It further emphasised that the traumas generated by the war in have a “lifelong impact on its victims” and that those with positions of influence have a responsibility to create an environment conductive to reconciliation.

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“This includes accepting the facts about war crimes established by domestic and international courts and treating the pain and suffering of other communities with empathy. This is the only path to long-term stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the statement added.