Critical Review of the Invitation Extended to Aleksandar Vučić in Brussels

Dear Mr. Rutte,

We, the survivors of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, have received with deep concern the news that you have invited Aleksandar Vučić to Brussels. As a former Minister of Information in Slobodan Milošević’s regime - a regime that systematically spread hatred and incited violence - Vučić represents an ideology that led to the worst crimes on European soil since World War II.

During the siege of Sarajevo, Vučić actively gathered intelligence for Milošević while the citizens of the city were subjected to daily shelling and sniper fire. To this day, the names of the snipers who murdered civilians in Sarajevo have not been made public, even though their identities are known. Survivors from Sarajevo, Foča, and other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina are still waiting for justice. Instead of insisting on accountability, the international community continues to legitimize those who enabled and justified such crimes.

On behalf of the survivors of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we demand:

1. That NATO ceases to provide support to political leaders who were directly or indirectly involved in war crimes or justified them. Inviting Vučić to Brussels sends a message to survivors that crimes are rewarded rather than punished.
2. That EUFOR troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina be immediately reinforced with a clear mandate to prevent threats to the country’s territorial integrity. Instability in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a hypothetical risk - it is already manifesting through the secessionist moves of Republika Srpska and Serbia’s support for these actions.
3. That NATO deploys troops in Brčko, a strategically critical area that connects the eastern and western parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This region is vital for maintaining peace, and its security is directly threatened by the rhetoric and actions of Republika Srpska’s leadership.
4. That you, as NATO Secretary General, listen to us - the survivors of war crimes. Survivors from Sarajevo, Foča, and other cities have witnessed, for decades, how Serbia and the Republika Srpska entity continue to take steps that endanger the security of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our perspective is crucial for understanding the real situation on the ground - not through diplomatic reports, but through direct testimonies of those who have endured genocide and ethnic cleansing.

We expect you to ask Vučić clear and legally relevant questions: Who shot at civilians? Why have war criminals not been brought to justice? 

These are not just questions for Bosnia and Herzegovina - they are fundamental to the fight against fascism and the preservation of justice in Europe. If the EU and NATO truly uphold their principles, they cannot ignore Serbia’s responsibility and that of its political representatives.

Halida Uzunović
Suvada Selimović
Senada Vehabović
KemalEmir Frašto
Sana Jakubovic
Džejna Sarač Mekić