The Human Rights Action (HRA), the Centre for Civic Education (CGO) and ANIMA – Centre for Women’s and Peace Education have requested the Government of Montenegro, the Parliament of Montenegro, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights to announce what activities they are planning in connection with the commemoration of 11 July – the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the Genocide in Srebrenica.

The Parliament of Montenegro adopted a Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide back in 2021, recognising the genocide committed in July 1995 and committing to its condemnation and to fostering a culture of remembrance. Furthermore, under the United Nations General Assembly Resolution of 2024 Montenegro has been obliged since last year to officially mark 11 July as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide.

We have requested from the competent institutions information on planned commemorative, educational and cultural programmes, budget funds allocated for their implementation, as well as on activities being undertaken to advance education about the Srebrenica genocide and the culture of remembrance in Montenegro.

At a time when genocide denial and ideologically and politically motivated revisionism remain present in the region, and bearing in mind that genocide denial represents its final phase, we consider that the institutional preservation of the memory of the victims and the public paying of tribute constitute not only a moral but also a political and social obligation of the state.

We warn that the absence of a dignified and substantive institutional marking of 11 July would be difficult to reconcile with the obligations Montenegro has undertaken at the domestic and international level, and would send a troubling message regarding the state’s attitude towards the victims of genocide, judicially established facts and a human rights-based policy of remembrance.

We expect the public to be informed in a timely manner about the planned activities and the manner in which state institutions will this year mark the Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide.