The European Union (EU) has endorsed the move to revoke the “Risto Ratković” literary award from Radovan Karadžić and urged the Bosniak Party (BS) to dissociate itself from, as they describe, those who glorify war criminals.

The European Socialists (ES) expressed their full support for the initiative to revoke Karadžić’s award, which was proposed by BS alongside various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Montenegro.

“As a political group committed to advocating for a civil and civilized society, we have consistently opposed the revisionism of history, the normalization of crimes, and the glorification of Chetniks — practices that we unfortunately witness from certain ruling parties in Montenegro,” stated the ES.

They emphasized that it is “extremely hypocritical” and “politically dishonest” for the BS to submit such an initiative while still being part of a coalition with political factions that openly honor Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić—not as convicted war criminals, but as presumed heroes and role models.

“If the BS genuinely aims to contribute to confronting the past and upholding the dignity of victims, we expect it to sever ties with Andrija Mandić and his political alliance immediately,” the ES remarked.

According to them, any other course of action equates to cheap populism and is a grave insult to the intellect of Montenegro’s citizens, particularly Bosniaks, who have never supported “an unprincipled alliance with Chetnik glorifiers and genocide deniers.”

“A civic, European, and truthful Montenegro cannot and must not forge its future on the foundation of forgetting crimes or engaging in hypocritical political deals,” the ES concluded.

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