Non-governmental organizations and civic activists strongly protest the fact that the Council of the Public Institution “Ratković Poetry Evenings” lacked the courage and maturity to make the decision to revoke the literary award given to war criminal Radovan Karadžić. With this, Montenegro has once again missed the opportunity, ahead of the 30th years of the Srebrenica genocide, to correct a historical disgrace and send the message that criminals cannot be celebrated in this country, nor can their names remain among the laureates of the highest honours.

We remind the public that we submitted the initiative on 28 June, followed by a response to the attempt of the management of the “Ratković Poetry Evenings” to evade responsibility and declare itself incompetent. In a subsequent letter, we clearly and with arguments demonstrated that this public institution is the legal and substantive successor of the festival that awarded Karadžić in 1993, while he was President of Republika Srpska and Supreme Commander of the Army of Republika Srpska. Declarative dissociation and condemnation are not enough. Through verdicts of international courts, Karadžić was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Therefore, we expected the leadership of the “Ratković Poetry Evenings” would have no doubts about what the only correct course of action is.

We also note that the Bosniak Party (BP), which, together with the DPS, is part of the governing coalition in Bijelo Polje, submitted a similar initiative to the Municipal Assembly of Bijelo Polje one day after us. On this occasion, too, we emphasize that the only competent authority is the “Ratković Poetry Evenings” institution itself, and we call on BP to use its political authority and influence to resolve this matter where it should be resolved – within the competent institution – instead of contributing to wasted time on legally unfounded procedures. That would demonstrate integrity and consistency on the part of the BP, especially given that, at the national level, they share power with parties whose officials deny the Srebrenica genocide and see Karadžić not as a war criminal but as a hero.

Holding public office is not just a privilege, but also an obligation to make difficult yet correct decisions.

Once again, we point out that the name of one of Montenegro’s greatest writers, Risto Ratković, cannot and must not stand alongside the name of a convicted war criminal. The award bearing Ratković’s name should express respect for literature, freedom, and human dignity – values that are incompatible with the legacy of crimes and the denial of justice.

Daliborka Uljarević, Centre for Civic Education (CCE)
Tea Gorjanc Prelević, Human Rights Action (HRA)
Ervina Dabižinović, Center for Women’s and Peace Education ANIMA
Demir Ličina, Association “Štrpci – Against Oblivion”
Velija Murić, Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights
Dina Bajramspahić, Civic Activist
Jovana Marović, Civic Activist