Schmidt in Ahmići: Those who deny genocide, war crimes and glorify criminals must be legally punished

(Patria) - High Representative Christian Schmidt visited Ahmići and paid tribute to the victims of war crimes committed in April 1993.

“For reconciliation, it is necessary for the entire society to make an effort to respect the victims and accept the truth about what happened. Everyone must face the past. Those who have been convicted and have served prison sentences should not speak out in public, except when talking about reparations and showing respect for the victims. Denying or downplaying war crimes is a clear insult to the victims and survivors.

We must all do our best to ensure that terrible crimes are never repeated and that no one is given the opportunity to repeat them. In this regard, I want to clearly state that the recent statements by Dario Kordić, a convicted war criminal and a person responsible for the events in Ahmići, are reprehensible.

Successful reconciliation, where victims and survivors are respected and not forgotten, is essentially important to open an unburdened path to a better future. For these efforts to bear fruit, those who deny genocide or war crimes, as well as those who glorify war criminals, must be most severely punished by law.

I emphasize how important the respect for the law is for those to whom it may apply. I see an urgent need to include war criminals convicted at The Hague in the criminal records of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said High Representative Schmidt during his visit to Ahmići.