PEN Centre of BiH issues peace appeal for the region: Aggressive Belgrade regime is source of instability in the Western Balkans

(Patria) - The PEN Centre of Bosnia and Herzegovina today issued an Appeal for Peace in the region, signed by more than 70 writers and intellectuals.

"We, members of the International PEN Centre, writers from the former Yugoslavia, warn the world public of a clear and immediate danger of war conflicts on the territory of the Western Balkans.

For years, the aggressive narratives of Serbian nationalists, aided by the regime in Belgrade and part of the SPC clergy, have been destabilising the region, primarily Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo.

With the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Greater Serbian aggressive rhetoric has intensified across the former Yugoslavia. The regime in Belgrade and the regime in Banja Luka (the entity of Republika Srpska, BiH) do not hide their sympathies for Russia's imperialist appetites, nor the fact that they value the support of the Kremlin regime.

In September 2023, an armed escalation began with a terrorist attack in Banjska (in Kosovo), and as the UN vote on the Srebrenica genocide resolution approaches, Milorad Dodik's threats of secession of Republika Srpska are intensifying and should not be underestimated. The expected admission of Kosovo to the Council of Europe is another critical point, as the regime of Aleksandar Vučić shows no willingness for cooperation, peace and compromise. On the contrary, with the announcement of Greater Serbian gatherings organised by the state of Serbia and the SPC, the warmongering stance of Belgrade becomes clear and dangerous.

The aggressive Belgrade regime, which is arming itself undisguisedly and openly, is the main source of instability in the Western Balkans. Once in the past, an identical narrative from the same circles pushed us into a ten-year bloody war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. We must not allow that to happen again. We must recognise the danger and clearly raise our voices against armed conflicts on the territory of the Western Balkans.

By this means, we appeal to the regime in Belgrade to accept reconciliation as the only possible political option in the territories of the former Yugoslavia. Also, we appeal to the international community to urgently react to the danger and do everything in its power to prevent the war fire in the Western Balkans from flaring up again.

We note that this appeal is not directed against the Serbian people, but, on the contrary, aims to protect them as well from the regime that pushes them into further conflicts in the region, and especially to protect those who dare to criticise the actions of the current regime in Serbia.

Concerned, we ask for cooperation and peace," the appeal states.