Non-governmental organisations and civic activists demand that the competent State Prosecutor’s Office act without delay on the criminal complaints already filed against Metropolitan Metodije of Budimlja and Nikšić and MP Milan Knežević, as well as against the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić, over the public glorification of Ratko Mladić, who was convicted by a final judgment of genocide in Srebrenica and other war crimes. We demand that the State Prosecutor’s Office decide on these complaints as soon as possible and inform the public of its decisions. Montenegro must decide whether it will protect a culture of remembrance grounded in facts, the dignity of victims and the rule of law, or allow perpetrators of genocide convicted by final judgments to be portrayed as heroes and role models by those holding the most influential political and religious positions.

Metodije described Ratko Mladić as “a great figure among the Serbian people”, referred to him as “a great Serb and a man worthy of respect”, and stated that the people recognised in him “the wonderful and sacred qualities of holy Serbian warriors and knights”. At the same time, he claimed that the judgment against Mladić was an attempt to condemn “the entire Serbian people”. This amounts to openly elevating a man convicted by a final judgment and sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide in Srebrenica, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war into a moral and national role model.

President of the Democratic People’s Party (DNP) and MP in the Parliament of Montenegro Milan Knežević wrote on the social media platform X: “Glory is eternal, and suffering is brief; every Serbian home has a Ratko.”

President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić stated: “I have just expressed my condolences to Darko Mladić, on my own behalf and on behalf of the New Serb Democracy, following the death of his father, General Ratko Mladić.”

When the President of the Parliament publicly expresses condolences following the death of Ratko Mladić, a senior dignitary of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) calls him a great man, a person worthy of respect, and attributes “sacred qualities” to him, while the leader of a parliamentary party glorifies him, it is no longer sufficient to speak of isolated statements. We are facing a dangerous attempt to normalise and socially rehabilitate a man convicted by a final judgment of genocide.

Such messages carry particular weight because they come from individuals whose positions command significant political, social and religious authority. They are especially dangerous for generations with no direct experience of the wars of the 1990s, to whom war criminals are, in this way, falsely presented as heroes.

Freedom of expression is not unlimited, and no office or position exempts anyone from responsibility for words spoken publicly. We recall that, under Article 370, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro, publicly approving, denying or diminishing genocide and war crimes established by a final judgment, in a manner capable of leading to violence or inciting hatred against a group of persons or a member of such a group, is punishable by imprisonment from six months to five years. Where such conduct is accompanied by threats, violence or the desecration of monuments (paragraph 3), the punishment may extend to eight years of imprisonment. Where it causes unrest or more serious consequences for the coexistence of peoples (paragraph 4), the punishment may extend to ten years of imprisonment. Any glorification of Ratko Mladić as a hero inevitably insults the victims and provokes and incites hatred.

We therefore demand that the competent State Prosecutor’s Office act without delay on the criminal complaints against Metropolitan Metodije, Milan Knežević and Andrija Mandić, decide on them as soon as possible and inform the public of its decisions. As this is a criminal offence prosecuted ex officio, the State Prosecutor’s Office must also respond to every other public statement glorifying Ratko Mladić and other war criminals convicted by final judgments, regardless of whether a criminal complaint has been filed against the person who made such a statement.

Juventas
PRIMA
Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI)
Centre for Civic Education (CCE)
Human Rights Action (HRA)
NGO Municipal Multiple Sclerosis Association Bijelo Polje
Association of LBTQ Women “Stana”
Association Spektra
Expeditio
Centre for Democratic Transition (CDT)
Women’s Rights Centre (WRC)
Montenegrin LGBTIQ Association Queer Montenegro
NGO Ipso Facto
Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM)
Cultural Development Society “Bauo”
Anti-Fascists of Cetinje
Montenegrin Women’s Lobby
Centre for Women’s and Peace Education ANIMA
Montenegrin Society of Independent Writers (CDNK)
Local Democracy Agency
Association of Montenegrin Publishers
Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms (CKM)
Association “Štrpci – Against Oblivion”
Danijel Kalezić
Milena Bešić
Dina Bajramspahić
Jovana Marović
Nikoleta Đukanović
Paula Petričević
Dušan Pajović