Srebrenica abbot accused of provoking tensions with crosses in Muslim cemetery

According to the complaint, Babic, along with unnamed accomplices, "illegally and secretly entered the Muslim cemetery in Kragljivode on January 19, 2025, and placed crosses among the gravestones." The act, described as provocative, was allegedly intended to incite religious and ethnic intolerance and disturb the local population.
The complaint further claims the placement of crosses conveyed a message to the predominantly Muslim community that even the deceased in the cemetery would not rest in peace, accusing Babic of attempting to symbolically "convert" the dead.

Families of the victims buried in the cemetery have condemned the act as a disgraceful violation of the dignity of those interred. They view it as a deliberate provocation and an affront to the sanctity of the memorial site.

Residents of the Osatica local community reported the incident to the Srebrenica Municipality, local police, and EUFOR ALTHEA/LOT Bratunac, seeking protection of their basic human rights and an end to the disturbances. A day after the crosses were erected, they were removed, reportedly by a local Serb. However, Abbot Babic accused "Islamic fanatics" of stealing them.

On January 20, the official Facebook page of the Karno Monastery posted images of Babić and others placing the crosses in the cemetery. The accompanying text made inflammatory statements, accusing “Muslims” of desecrating the graves of Serbs from the First World War and labelling the cemetery a "stolen burial site."

Babic also faced accusations of building a church near the cemetery without proper permits, a claim made by residents of Osatica.

Despite the gravity of the allegations, Babic has not yet been questioned by the Srebrenica police. Authorities are under increasing pressure to investigate the incident and take appropriate action.

This case has sparked outrage among the Bosniak community and renewed tensions in a region still healing from the wounds of past conflicts.