Djuric: Instead of reopening old wounds, let's create a new resolution that will be the subject of consensus

Special envoy of the President of Serbia, Marko Djuric, emphasized at the emergency session of the UN Security Council on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina that the resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica, initiated without the consensus of all peoples in that country, but also without consultations in the region, fuels new tensions and called for the harmonization of a new resolution that would not reopen old wounds.

Djuric stated that he was speaking on behalf of Serbia, which protects the peace agreement but also believes that the memory of hundreds of thousands of victims should be preserved because regardless of national and religious affiliation, victims deserve the same justice and equal treatment and respect.

He stressed that Serbia consistently and persistently supports the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the integrity of Republic of Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Djuric emphasized that he wants to speak on behalf of future generations, who deserve much more than to spend their future in ideological trenches dug for them by some.

"They don't deserve to live in a system that repeats the same narratives endlessly. I believe everyone should bow their heads to all the victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina regardless of their national and religious affiliation," he underscored.

He pointed out that the resolution was initiated without consensus in Bosnia and Herzegovina and therefore represents a contradiction and blatant violation of the Constitution, which is why it should be withdrawn.

He explained that months before the bloody collapse of the former Yugoslavia, leaders on all sides, before the first victims fell, began to exhume the bodies of victims of crimes that occurred more than five decades earlier.

"The level of interethnic tensions was high. Now, 29 years after the events, tensions are rising again. There are great tensions among citizens who have suffered so much, and there is also a division in the international community. What caused such a reaction? The previous resolution on Srebrenica, co-sponsored by the permanent representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina without seeking the consent of all entities, in secret, without attempting to respect hundreds of thousands of other victims, as well as without regional consultation contrary to established good practice applied when there was a resolution on Rwanda," Djuric emphasized.

He also reminded that the issues discussed in the Security Council do not fall within the jurisdiction of the General Assembly, so this resolution undermines the powers of the Security Council.

Serbia, as he emphasized, condemns all crimes committed in the tragic conflict, especially in Srebrenica, which stands out in terms of scale and cruelty.

He reminded that the Serbian Parliament condemned that crime and that two presidents paid tribute at the memorial center, and that they attended the commemoration on several occasions.

"Serbia unequivocally and strongly condemns the denial of crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I would ask those who initiated the resolution, what will you say to Duska and Svetlana Stanic, sisters who, as children, at the ages of eight and six, were tortured in a concentration camp for Serbs? What will you say to Dusan Magazin whose parents were killed when he was little? It is still difficult for their voices to be heard. They plead for justice and truth. Those people need to be given the opportunity to share their testimony at an event where they will advocate for justice for all," he said.

Djuric emphasized that it must always be borne in mind that justice must be the same for all victims of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the only way to peace and reconciliation.

"Contrary to what some co-sponsors say, the real reasons for this destructive, dangerous resolution were revealed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konakovic, who publicly said a few days ago that 'such Serbia deserves nothing but contempt, not a handshake of cooperation,' and in an offensive manner stated that he wants to initiate legal proceedings against Serbia, which shows that he does not want reconciliation or good neighborly relations," Djuric said.

He added that the region should not be united in the difficult times that have passed, but in building a prosperous future.

"Look at how many people are leaving, and how many will stay if we keep reopening old wounds," Djuric asked.

He also stated that he does not want the region to sink again into interethnic hatred by constantly reminding of the past, but rather wants to build a common future.

In that regard, he conveyed that a representative of a UN member country with whom he spoke in New York told him that he was completely surprised by the fixation on the past, advising that we leave the past alone and focus on the future.

Therefore, he appealed to the Security Council, not only to assess where we all were and where we are now, but where we are going, in order to avoid the pitfalls that previous generations fell into.

"We must not reopen old wounds as our legacy. Instead of old trenches, let's make a new resolution that will be the subject of consensus, leading to cooperation and prosperity. Our region has the greatest potential in Europe. Let's reconsider the draft resolution and treat all victims equally, without revenge through political discourse. We owe that to our people, to our children," Djuric emphasized.

As he stated, there are no shortcuts or recipes for healing the wounds of society after a long war, which is why understanding and trust are necessary.

"Let's work together to overcome challenges. Let's give justice to everyone, let's achieve consensus on how to overcome divisions, so that something like this never happens again in the region," Djuric concluded.