Prosecutors open case against Vlasenica Mayor Miroslav Kraljevic for glorification of war criminals

The Prosecutor’s Office stated that it is conducting activities to investigate allegations related to the possible commission of a criminal offense under the article of the law concerning the denial of genocide, war crimes, and glorification of convicted war criminals.

They added that the public will be informed via the official website once a prosecutorial decision is made.

In March, Detektor reported that Kraljevic glorified Karadyic and Mladic during a commemoration marking the anniversary of the deaths of soldiers of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) in the town.

Kraljevic’s speech at the event marking the 32nd anniversary of the death of soldiers from Derventa on the Vlasenica front was published on the Facebook page of the Info Portal of the Municipality of Vlasenica.

"Great respect to all those who were then at the head of the army, at the head of the state, Mr. Radovan Karadyic, President of the RS, Ratko Mladic, all the commanders and chiefs," Kraljevic stated in his speech, adding that these are “glorious names that deserve great respect and to be mentioned everywhere”.

Karadyic, the former President of RS, and Mladic, the commander of the VRS, were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Hague Tribunal for genocide and other crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Because that is who we are, that is our reality. We are all Radovans. Just like we are all Milorad Dodik today, all the National Assembly, and in the same or similar way we defend those legacies,” Kraljevic said at the time.

The Association “Women Victims of War” filed a criminal complaint against him, which was also reported by Detektor.

Bakira Hasecic, president of the association, confirmed to Detektor at the time that they are seeking the prosecution of Kraljevic for the criminal offense of “inciting national, racial, and religious hatred, discord, and intolerance.”

“We decided to file this criminal complaint to show Bosnian society, the wider community, and even the world that people who glorify war criminals and are being tried for committed crimes still hold high posts here,” Hasecic said on that occasion.

Kraljevic is also currently on trial, together with Radenko Stanic and Goran Garic, for the persecution of Bosniak civilians in Vlasenica – through unlawful detention, killings, sexual abuse, torture, disappearances, and other inhumane acts committed in 1992 and 1993.

Last year, he was also reported for inappropriate behavior during the election campaign, which Detektor had already covered. However, the complaint was dismissed as unfounded, and Kraljevic was elected to the same position for a third time.