Varhely: It is our duty to remember Srebrenica forever

Speaking Friday to the European Parliament, Varhely said that the <x0-genocide in Srebrenica remains an open wound in the heart of Europe”.

She keeps following us. It continues to remind us of our shared responsibility to prevent genocide from happening again. Therefore, it is our duty to remember Srebrenica forever”, Warhely said.

Comments come on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the massacre, marking Saturday.

In July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces have killed over 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, the area that was declared secure by the United Nations.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague has ruled in 2007 that the killings in Srebrenica have constituted genocide.

The UN war crimes tribunal in the former Yugoslavia has convicted former Bosnian Serb forces commander Ratko Mladic and his political mentor, Radovan Karadzic, of genocide and other war crimes at Srebrenica.

It is also our duty to ensure responsibility. Justice must be imposed and all those responsible for the massacre must face the consequences of their actions. Twenty-five years later, it is more urgent than ever to end impunity for war crimes perpetrators”, Varhely said before the European Parliament.

On Twitter, he said that through the accession process, “The EU will continue to accompany the Western Balkans towards reconciliation and regional co-operation, to build a peaceful and prosperous future for all people in the region”.