The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, Denis Zvizdic, is attending the Third Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform in Riga, where he delivered a speech on the importance of supporting the just struggle of the Ukrainian people and the significance of preserving Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

In his address, Zvizdic conveyed several messages to the international community and the Ukrainian people, drawing parallels with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s own experiences and calling for solidarity and decisive actions.

“The international community must increase military, economic, and all other forms of assistance to Ukraine. Without strong and continuous support, the worst scenario will unfold. The world turned a blind eye for years to the horrific crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, culminating in the genocide in Srebrenica. Today, in 2024, we are witnessing mass atrocities and violations of international law in Ukraine, Gaza, and many other parts of the world,” Zvizdic emphasized in his speech.

He also called for the urgent establishment of an international tribunal to prosecute all war crimes committed in Ukraine.

“Just as with the Hague Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, it is crucial that international justice operates and clearly determines who the war criminals are and who are the defenders of freedom and territorial integrity,” Zvizdic added.

In his third message to the Crimea Platform participants, Zvizdic stated:

“We must return to an international order based on rules and sanction anyone who violates those rules. Sanctions are a powerful tool for maintaining global order, and disregarding the rules leads to anarchy. Russian aggression against Ukraine did not begin in 2022, but in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea. The international community failed to realize at that time that appeasing the aggressor leads to further escalation.”

In the final part of his speech, Zvizdic highlighted:

“There will be no peace in Europe without a peaceful and stable Ukraine as a member of the European Union and NATO, just as there can be no peace without a stable Western Balkans integrated into the European community. Full membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina in NATO and the EU is also crucial for the long-term stability of Europe.”

Zvizdic congratulated the hosts on organizing the Third Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform and expressed hope that these messages would prompt decisive actions from the international community.

The Third Parliamentary Summit in Riga is being attended by representatives from over 40 countries and international community delegates.