Mioković: Silence of the international community on the Serbian Army in Prijedor is concerning, we must raise the level of caution

(Patria) - Regarding the parade of members of the Serbian Army through Prijedor, Dragan Mioković, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, commented.

"The Serbian Army is parading through Prijedor on the occasion of the anniversary of the Battle of Kozara. The Ministry of Defense is obliged to provide answers as to how this happened. If everything is in accordance with the laws of our country, we can say that their stay in BiH is legal, but is that enough?

The Battle of Kozara involved anti-fascists from all parts of our former country, and the unarmed population, predominantly Serbs, suffered the most. Given this fact, as well as the fact that all armies in the region claim to uphold the tradition of anti-fascism, the Serbian Army has no greater moral right than any other army in the region to commemorate the Battle of Kozara. It would be the same as if the Armed Forces of BiH were to parade through Kragujevac on the anniversary of the execution of students in Kragujevac during World War II.

Therefore, the moral right states: either allow all armies in the region to commemorate all events related to the tradition of anti-fascism, or allow only the army of the country on whose territory the event took place to commemorate it," stated Mioković.

He said that in this specific case, Serbia is attempting to establish a monopoly over the anti-fascist tradition in these areas, and what is even more dangerous is the expression of territorial pretensions towards our country, and from a country that is the only one in the world convicted of failing to prevent genocide, and that genocide committed not far from the place where its army is now parading.

"The silence of the international community on this occasion is concerning, and it is up to us to raise the level of caution even higher," concluded Mioković.