Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civic activists have presented an initiative to the Public Institution (PU) “Ratković Poetry Evenings” to revoke the “Risto Ratković” award for poetry awarded to Radovan Karadžić. They emphasized today that it is crucial to distinctly separate ourselves from war criminals.

In their statement, these NGOs and civic activists expressed disappointment at the lack of urgency from the “Ratković Poetry Evenings” public institution in addressing this initiative, despite acknowledging its importance, which they appreciate.

“Specifically, the response from the Public Institution ‘Ratković Poetry Evenings’ states: ‘In this case, we are not discussing a controversial interpretation of historical events, but regarding a person sentenced to life imprisonment by an international court for genocide and other serious crimes.’ They also noted that this fact ‘further obliges (our) institution to clearly express its position and distance itself, leaving no room for relativization or neutrality.’ However, it is concerning that the rationale used to justify inaction is not grounded in facts. The award has been consistently given for decades, and it is neither legally nor substantially possible to separate today’s events from those prior to 1993. Furthermore, this year marks the 55th, not the 13th Ratković Poetry Evenings, affirming the continuity of the award. The names of all past winners, including Radovan Karadžić, remain visible on the official website of the Public Institution ‘Ratković Poetry Evenings’,” states the declaration signed by Daliborka Uljarević from the Center for Civic Education (CCE), Tea Gorjanc Prelević from Human Rights Action (HRA), Ervina Dabižinović from the Center for Women’s and Peace Education ANIMA, Demir Ličina from the Association “Štrpci – Against Oblivion”, Velija Murić from the Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights, civic activist Dina Bajramspahić, and civic activist Jovana Marović.

The statement notes that legal continuity is corroborated by two documents from the Municipality of Bijelo Polje, which can be found on the municipality’s website, establishing that the Public Institution “Ratković Poetry Evenings” is the legal successor to the previous event.

“According to the Explanation of the Decision on the Establishment of the Ratković Poetry Evenings Public Institution, it is essential to reorganize the Ratković Poetry Evening event to align with the Culture Act, thereby establishing a public institution that holds the status of a legal entity and is the legal successor to the previous event of special importance. The Study on the establishment of the Public Institution ‘Ratković Poetry Evenings’ further confirms this unambiguous stance. ‘In this context, it is necessary for the Municipality of Bijelo Polje to decide on organizing the Public Institution “Ratković’s Poetry Evenings”, which would have the legal entity status and be the legal successor to the existing event,’ as stated in the document. This implies that the Public Institution ‘Ratković’s Poetry Evenings’ inherits all legal rights and obligations associated with the event, including the continuity of the award ceremony, thereby making it the sole relevant body for any decision regarding the potential withdrawal of the award,” the NGOs and civic activists emphasize.

The statement further highlights that Želidrag Nikčević, a jury member who awarded the Karadžić Award in 1993 and is an advisor to the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić, was also part of the jury for this year’s Thirteenth of July Award, the highest state honor.

“This unfortunately symbolizes that supporters of warmongering policies remain in decision-making positions and continue to mold societal values. Hence, it is imperative to showcase that there exists a Montenegro that rejects this narrative,” asserted the NGOs and civic activists.

They also articulated that associating the name of a war criminal with an event symbolizing Montenegrin culture, particularly in Bijelo Polje and honoring Risto Ratković, is highly inappropriate.

“This blemish must be erased from the face of the city, the artist, and the state. We remind you that globally, there is a precedent for retracting awards from contentious individuals. For instance, the German poet and playwright Hans Jost, who closely collaborated with the Nazis, lost all literary recognitions post-trial. Similar instances occurred in the 21st century, such as the National Jewish Book Award being rescinded from Heša Kestin in 2019 due to Islamophobic remarks. We urge the Public Institution ‘Ratković Poetry Evenings’ to reconsider its decision, taking into account the arguments presented, which align with the founder’s provisions and directives, as well as relevant statutes and the Law on Culture,” the statement concludes.

NGOs and civic activists expressed hope that “on July 11, the International Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide, we will witness a Montenegro that responsibly confronts its past and does not extend any acknowledgments to those found guilty of genocide.”

“This would represent a significant advancement for the region and signal resistance against the ideologies that culminated in genocide,” the statement emphasized.

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