The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted on Thursday to establish an annual day of remembrance for the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, during which Serb forces killed approximately 8,000 Muslim men and teenage boys.
The resolution designates July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide. It condemns “any denial” of the genocide and urges UN member states to “preserve the established facts.”
The resolution, authored by Germany and Rwanda—nations with their own tragic histories of genocide—faced significant opposition from Serbia. Although the draft does not specifically name Serbia as the perpetrator, some Serbian leaders fear it will collectively brand them as supporters of the genocide.
In a letter to the United Nations, Germany and Rwanda emphasized that the vote is a “crucial opportunity to unite in honoring the victims and acknowledging the pivotal role played by international courts.”
Serbian Leaders Resist ‘Stigma’
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced his intent to “fight with all my strength and heart” against the initiative at the UN. Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Djuric vowed to “protect our country and our people from a long-term stigma.”
In a symbolic protest, church bells rang across Serbia hours before the vote. The Serbian Orthodox Church called for unity among Serbs in “prayers, serenity, mutual solidarity, and firmness in doing good, despite untrue and unjust accusations at the UN.”
Milorad Dodik, president of Republika Srpska—the Serb entity comprising roughly half of Bosnia—also lobbied against the resolution. Dodik stated on social media that “Bosnia and Herzegovina has reached its end” and urged efforts for peaceful coexistence.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, also criticized the draft resolution, calling it “provocative” and a “threat to peace and security.” He argued it would “erase” NATO’s controversial actions in the former Yugoslavia by solely blaming the Serbs.
Remembering Srebrenica
The Srebrenica massacre occurred toward the end of the Bosnian War, which resulted in around 100,000 deaths. On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb forces captured the UN-protected town of Srebrenica. In the subsequent days, Serb troops separated 8,000 Muslim Bosniak men and teenage boys from their families and executed them.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice have both classified this massacre as genocide. It is considered the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II.
