Non-governmental organisations and civic activists condemn the appalling verbal attack by Vesna Bratić, former Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and an official of United Montenegro, against Daliborka Uljarević, Executive Director of the Centre for Civic Education (CCE).

Inappropriate comments by Bratić are more often the rule than the exception, but the hostility she has continuously displayed towards Uljarević has now gone beyond all limits. It is particularly disturbing that this latest outburst of disgraceful comments was prompted by a principled criticism of those who glorified the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.

Instead of clearly distancing herself from the glorification of a man finally convicted of the gravest war crimes, including genocide, Bratić has once again chosen to attack the person who draws attention to such disturbing phenomena. Public officials and other public figures have a responsibility to unequivocally oppose the glorification of war criminals and the normalisation of policies that have left deep and lasting consequences throughout the region, rather than encourage expressions of religious and ethnic intolerance.

It is especially concerning that criticism of the glorification of war criminals is being discredited through personal insults, ethnic and identity-based labelling, and insinuations intended to portray a person who speaks about facts as the enemy of a particular nation. Such a pattern is not only unacceptable in public discourse but also represents a dangerous distortion of the issue: condemning war crimes and their perpetrators is not an attack on any nation, identity or community.

War crimes have names, victims and final court judgments. Their relativisation or glorification cannot be justified by patriotism, ethnic affiliation, political beliefs or the alleged defence of historical truth. On the contrary, insisting on facts and individual responsibility is a prerequisite for genuinely confronting the past and building a society in which such crimes will not be repeated.

We condemn the persistent lack of accountability for the words spoken by former and current public officials, as well as attempts to suppress the work of independent civil society. In a society that remains burdened by the legacy of war, divisions and nationalist tensions, insulting and targeting civic activists who draw attention to dangerous social phenomena does not contribute to dialogue. Instead, it deepens existing divisions and creates an atmosphere of intimidation towards anyone who dares to speak critically.

We therefore express our full support for our colleague Daliborka Uljarević and for everyone who consistently and on principle condemns the glorification of war criminals, regardless of the political and other pressures they face as a result. Public discourse must not become a space where individuals can be insulted, targeted and dehumanised with impunity because of their civic engagement.

Silence in the face of the glorification of war criminals is not neutrality. Nor is the condemnation of a war criminal an attack on the nation to which that person belonged. These two issues must be clearly distinguished if Montenegro wishes to build a society founded on facts, accountability, respect for the dignity of victims and a culture of peace.

Montenegro must never again allow ministers who glorify war criminals to hold office.

NGO “Prima”
Local Democracy Agency Nikšić – LDA
Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI)
Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM)
Women’s Rights Centre (WRC)
Centre for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG)
Montenegrin Women’s Lobby
NGO “Women’s Action”
NGO “Municipal Multiple Sclerosis Association Bijelo Polje”
NGO “TNT”
ADP-ZID
Active Zone
Human Rights Action (HRA)
Association of Montenegrin Publishers
MASTER European Policy Network
Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for the Protection of Human Rights
“Stana” Association of LBTQ Women
Anti-Fascists of Cetinje
NGO “Ipso Facto”
Association “Štrpci – Against Oblivion”
Society for Cultural Development “Bauo”
NGO “Sofija”
NGO “Alliance for Children and Youth – The House”
Queer Montenegro
Montenegrin PEN Centre
SPECTRA Association

Dušan Pajović, civic activist
Dina Bajramspahić, civic activist
Jovana Marović, civic activist
Milena Bešić, civic activist
Paula Petričević, civic activist
Aleksandra Gligorović, civic activist
Danijel Kalezić, civic activist
Nikoleta Đukanović, civic activist