EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi issued a joint written statement on the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide.
The statement, which commemorated more than 8,300 men and boys who were systematically killed in Srebrenica, said: "The genocide 29 years ago is one of the darkest moments in modern European history."
Calling on the leaders of the region to "reject divisive rhetoric and act with truth, justice, trust and dialogue", the statement made the following assessment:
"Healing the wounds of the past requires acknowledging and teaching the historical facts, honoring and remembering the victims, identifying those still missing, and bringing all perpetrators to justice. This is the key to confronting the roots of hatred that led to genocide. Together we must build bridges to reconciliation. There is no place among us for those who deny the genocide, try to rewrite history and glorify war criminals."
"This is an important opportunity to make progress on reforms that will increase democracy, prosperity and security for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina and bring the country closer to EU membership," the statement said, recalling the EU Council's decision to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina in March.
