The International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyzes developments in the Middle East, the Balkans and around the world. In the context of current developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina that could lead the country into a renewed war, IFIMES made an analysis of the current situation in the country. We bring the most important and interesting parts of the extensive analysis titled “2021 Bosnia and Hercegovina: Most brutal attack on truth about Holocaust in XXI century directed and implemented by Milorad Dodik (SNSD) and Dragan Čović (HDZ).”
Two leading political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZBiH), which pretend to represent the interests of the Serb and Croat peoples in BiH in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina proposed conclusions and voted on the annulment of the BiH Law[2] on prohibition of denial of Holocaust and genocide. The decision is to be agreed at the level of the Collegium of the House of Peoples and will probably not be adopted. This means that the proposal of conclusions will be returned to the House of Peoples for a vote. A conclusion is adopted, if it is supported by more than half the delegates and if 2/3 of delegates from one entity do not vote against it. The decision already has the support of delegates from Republika Srpska, as all five delegates from the RS have voted in favor of the conclusions. However, when it comes to the Federation of BiH, the situation is different. If delegate Bariša Čolak attends the next session, the HDZBiH will have four delegates who will vote in favor of the conclusions, which is more than 1/3 (out of ten) delegates from the Federation of BiH, which implies that the Law will definitely be adopted. The Law[3] expressly outlaws denial of two international legal acquis. Specifically, it outlaws negation of judgments of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and bans denial of Nurnberg[4] judgments against the Nazis. Although in the offered parliamentary conclusions for annulment, the SNSD and HDZ delegates attempted to “elaborate” the reasons for annulment, not at one single point did they refer to the annulment of the part of the Law that reads: “Whoever publicly condones, denies, grossly trivializes or tries to justify a crime of genocide, crimes against humanity or a war crime established by a final adjudication pursuant to the Charter of the International Military Tribunal appended to the London Agreement of 8 August 1945 or by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or the International Criminal Court or a court in Bosnia and Herzegovina, directed against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to race, color, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin, when the conduct is carried out in a manner likely to incite to violence or hatred against such a group or a member of such a group, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term between six months and five years.” Namely, this is related to a premeditated and preconcerted action of European right-wing conservative and pro-fascist parties gathered around the so-called manifest of the “gathering of European Patriots”, who act in BiH through Milorad Dodik, SNSD President and Dragan Čović, HDZBiH President. The request and the vote in a national parliament for annulment of the law related to denial of judgments related to the Holocaust is the most brutal attack on the truth about the Holocaust in the XXI century.
What does this motion by the listed political parties mean for the future and on whose behalf are such brutal actions against the truth about the Holocaust and ICTY judgements being initiated?
A success of their intent in the BiH Parliament would be a call and proof for all global deniers of Holocaust, that it is still desirable and possible to negate the Holocaust and the laws that outlaw Holocaust denial. Nevertheless, the very possibility that laws about Holocaust denial can be legally annulled and disputed before national institutions, specifically parliaments as the highest legislative instances, has already triggered condemnations and responses by the international community.
Negation of laws that protect the highest international values, such as the Nurnberg judgments and all other judgements against the Nazis, as well as the ICTY judgments, is a reflection of the current political situation in the EU, where all political options of extreme right-wing orientations, starting from pro-fascist groups in Austria, Italy, Spain, Poland, France, Netherlands, to the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša (SDS/EPP) and some leaders in West Balkan countries, are coming together - under the patronage of Viktor Orban (Fidesz) and with the assistance of Russia. These are defeated ideologies from World War II, as well as defeated fascist policies of Slobodan Milošević (SPS) and Franjo Tuđman (HDZ), who have been identified in the judgements of the Hague tribunal as proponents of criminal enterprises.
In fact, what we have on scene are the defeated European fascist and pro-fascist hegemonic policies that are currently being united through the SNSD, as the proponent of the policy of Radovan Karadžić (SDS) and Slobodan Milošević, and the HDZ as the genuine proponent of Tuđman’s hegemonic project. Their aim is to undermine the foundations of international law and the legacy of international courts, which had convicted fascist policies that had committed the Holocaust in Europe and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Will Bosnia and Herzegovina be a country where it will be possible to freely and without sanctions negate the Holocaust, as well as deny the genocide and other crimes established by ICTY judgements?
In its analysis from February 2019, “A new wave of Holocaust negation and an introduction into legal and historical revisionism[5]”, IFIMES warned that formation of controversial international commissions by the Government of the entity of Republika Srpska (BiH) for establishment of historical facts regarding Srebrenica and Sarajevo is a herald of a new wave of denial of Holocaust and legal and historical revisionism. We warned that five international surveys had proven unprecedented escalation of anti-Semitism and denial of Holocaust and that the Israeli government had called upon the governments in the world to urgently embark on eradication of anti-Semitism from their respective societies and to take a strong position against the publicly expressed hatred towards Jews. At the time we asserted that participation of Jewish professors Gideon Greif and Raphael Israeli in the mentioned commissions which deny the final and binding judgments delivered by international bodies and the attempts to negate the genocide committed in Srebrenica opens room for Holocaust deniers and anti-Semitism advocates in Europe and the worldwide to attempt or continue to negate Holocaust in the same or similar way. Specifically, to establish controversial international commissions following the same model. Only two years later, our forecasts became true in the BiH Parliament where Milorad Dodik (SNSD) and Dragan Čović (HDZBiH) through their delegates in the BiH Parliament (Dušanka Majkić, Sredoje Nović, Lazar Prodanović, Nikola Špirić, Mladen Bosić, Dragan Čović, Marina Pendeš, Lidija Bradara) requested annulment of the Law prohibiting denial of genocide, as well as Holocaust. Furthermore, another verification of our analysis that forecasted an escalation of denial of Holocaust is the agreement from October 2020 on initiation of Dialogue between the US and Germany on Holocaust issues, when the governments of the two countries announced opening of a dialogue between the US and Germany on Holocaust issues with the aim of combating the trend of anti-Semitism, which has been on an increase during the corona virus pandemic, in lieu of the sudden growth of political populism all over Europe and in the United States. In the same month in which the agreement was brokered, Facebook banned denial of the Holocaust with a remark that the decision had been made given “the well-documented rise in anti-Semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust, especially among young people.” However, it is worth noting that the judgement of the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg in the case of Udo Pastörs[6], former representative of the German neo-Nazi party of NPD at the level of a federal state, denial of Holocaust does not fall in the category of freedom of expression guaranteed by the European Human Rights Charter.
While the entire world is undertaking measures to suppress denial of Holocaust, the vote of Dodik’s and Čović’s delegates in the BiH Parliament is proof that the successors and followers of defeated fascist, hegemonic and nationalist policies do not refrain from undertaking most brutal actions to attack the fundamental truths about the Holocaust.
Analysts warn that the engagement of Israeli professors Greif and Israeli in the controversial international commissions for Srebrenica and Sarajevo, which were established by Milorad Dodik and supported by Dragan Čović, was aimed to create divisions within the Jewish society for the purposes of facilitating the disputing of the Holocaust at the global level, because Israeli professors participated in the negation of the judgments of the ICTY. Namely, this was an excellent opportunity and occasion for the Holocaust deniers to embark on negation of the judgments of the Nurnberg Court as a response to the Jewish (Greif and Israeli) negation of the legal acquis of ICTY. Although the architects had expected negation of the Holocaust by the victims of the genocide in BiH, because of the participation of Israeli professors Greif and Israeli in Dodik’s phantom commissions, analysts warned that what was the actual goal of pro-fascist forces in the EU will actually happen in the Parliament of the state of BiH. Namely, although BiH is a state has the horrible experience of genocide, its Parliament could adopt a decision on abolition of the Law on ban of denial of Holocaust and Genocide, which will be done thanks to the followers of the policy pursued by Slobodan Milošević, Radovan Karadžić, Ratko Mladić, Franjo Tuđman, Jadranko Prlić, et al. It is worth reminding that Menachem Rosensaft, Associate Executive Vice President of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), had completely rejected the conclusions of the final report of Dodik’s international commission for Srebrenica and Sarajevo headed by Israeli professor Gideon Greif, and called the contents of the report “shameful”. German federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier[7] acted correctly when he decided, after a number of protests, to reconsider his decision to award a German recognition to the Israeli professor Gideon Greif.
The existing situation calls for an immediate reaction. We agree with Deborah Lipstadt, professor of modern Jewish history and Holocaust studies, who said, “Most importantly, the truth and facts are under assault. There is a lot of work, a major task and great challenge ahead of us. The time for fight is short, we have to act now, urgently -and as otherwise it will be too late[8].”
What is the background of the support provided by Dragan Čović and Croat parliamentarians (HDZBiH) in the BiH Parliament to abolition of the Law on prohibition of denial of Holocaust and genocide?
Although the two hegemonic concepts are the basis of the connection of the policies pursued by Dodik and Čović in Bosnia and Herzegovina, analysts warn that the basis of the connection between Dodik and Čović is related to cultivating fascist ideas, glorification and reaffirmation of fascist movements, creations and figures from the period of World War II, Independent State of Croatia (NDH), as well as Dražo Mihailović and Milan Nedić, who had almost entirely exterminated the Jews of Serbia. In addition to the dozens of thousands of Jews in the Jasenovac concentration camp and the NDH’s death camps, 15,000 of 16,700 Jews who used to live in Serbia and the Banat region were killed. Namely, in August 1942, German General Alexander von Löhr declared Serbia “Judenfrei” (a term of Nazi origin used to designate an area that has been “cleansed” of Jews). Bearing in mind the judgements of the tribunal located in The Hague, including the ones for the genocide in Srebrenica and for the joint criminal enterprises that were headed by Milošević and Tuđman, the origin of emergence of Dodik and Čović as the executors of policies that deny Holocaust and genocide becomes crystal clear. Furthermore, the role of Polish security-intelligence agency (ABW) during the visits by Dodik, Čović and other negators of Holocaust to the Auschwitz[9] camp is quite surprising. Namely, the ABW has become a close collaborator of the Croatia security-intelligence agency (SOA). Specifically, judging by everything the SAO fabricates the so-called Islamic dangers/threats and then distributes them within the EU, in an attempt to radicalize the situation in intelligence communities in the EU and wider area.
The EU Intelligence College[10] EU, which is under the influence and supervision of France, is used for distribution of untruths and semi-truths about Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Croatian SOA participated in the brokering of the deal on procurement of 12 used Dassault Rafale multirole fighter aircrafts France. Croatia is striving to position itself as a “France’s actor”, without the US or United Kingdom, but also without Germany. Croatia is also positioning itself as a partner of Russia. Such an approach by Croatia is not just a part of the official policy of Croatia, but is also conditioned with the status of the SOA Director Daniel Markić, who is a French citizen. Markić was born in Paris in 1972. Upon his return to Croatia in the nineties of the last century, he enjoyed the protection of the structures of the former Croatian Defense Minister Gojko Šušak (HDZ) and Tuđman’s advisor of many years Ivić Pašalić (HDZ). Furthermore, thanks to his foreign language proficiency he also acted as their interpreter. Namely, the “Herzeg Bosnia” connections are the key why SAO is misinforming the EU and NATO intelligence community about the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, because in such a way it aspires to facilitate establishment of a para-state, the so-called Croat Republic of Herzeg Bosnia in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dragan Čović and Božo Ljubić (HDZBiH) have close contacts with the Director of the Croatia SOA Daniel Markić. The recent vote in the BiH Parliament against the law on prohibition of denial of Holocaust and genocide in the BiH Parliament is a part of such intelligence operations.
Current political agreements/negotiations in Bosnia and Herzegovina are an attempt by the so-called international community to meet the requests of the negators of Holocaust and genocide and the successors of defeated policies from World War II and late nineties of the last century. It appears astonishing that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had approached the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the BiH Central Bank to inquire who would pay back the loans in case of dissolution of the state of BiH. However, it is not much of a surprise bearing in mind that the IMF General Director is Kristalina Georgieva from Bulgaria, who has been suspected of manipulation with data as the head of the IMF, which indicates broader dimensions of the regime policy of the former Bulgarian Prime Minister Bojko Borisov (GERB). Such an approach by the so-called international policy contributes to the crisis in BiH. In fact, instead of protecting the internal and external sovereignty of BiH, they are trying to “calm down” the situation in BiH by making concessions to the negators of Holocaust and genocide. Bearing in mind that ¾ of economic transactions in the country are taking place in the FBiH, it is unacceptable that one of the few bright points in the BiH, specifically the Government of the Federation of BiH headed by Prime Minister Fadil Novalić, is not protected and supported by the international community and particularly by those who are concerned over the payment of loans taken from the IMF, predominantly by the insolvent entity of Republika Srpska. One of the keys to dissolution of BiH is also the attack on the economic/monetary system of BiH in which the negators of Holocaust and genocide apply towards Fadil Novalić the same methodology that had been applied towards Ante Marković, president of the government of the former SFRY, as well as in the initial phases when the Agrokomerc crisis was caused with the aim of undermining the economic system of a state. BiH is blocked, and the executive legislative and judicial branches of the government are in the hands of negators of Holocaust and genocide. Under such circumstances, the FBiH Government is somehow managing to keep BiH “alive.”
Analysts believe that it is necessary that the representatives of the so-called international community urgently undertake measures to protect the Government of the Federation of BiH. In its previous analyses and presentations, the IFIMES International Institute had presented a catalogue of evidence on various criminal-political-prosecutorial-intelligence insinuations and actions, aimed to overthrow the Government of the Federation of BiH and the most successful FBiH Prime Minister since the signing of the Washington Agreement. Therefore, it is of no surprise that Dragan Čović and the HDZBiH are still blocking the establishment of the new FBiH Government, although the elections were held in 2018. That is why it is necessary to embark on implementation of the results of the 2018 General Elections and finally complete the establishment of the new FBiH Government.
As much as it is important to prevent and thwart future actions in the BiH Parliament related to official annulment of the Law on prohibition of denial of Holocaust and genocide, as well as punish and sanction Milorad Dodik and Dragan Čović for their attempts at dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and their denial of Holocaust and genocide, it is equally important to protect the FBiH Government. International envoys from the US and EU (Matthew Palmer, Gabriel Escobar and Angelina Eichhorst) have to present their opinions and take a clear stance that there can be no annulment of the Law on prohibition of denial of Holocaust and genocide, or undermining of the economic system of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina -exclusively through the Government of the Federation of BiH and the blocking of establishment of the new FBiH government on the basis of the results of 2018 elections.
Ljubljana/Brussels/Washington, 13 December 2021
[1] IFIMES - The International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) from Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)/UN since 2018.
[2] Source: Decision of the High Representative (OHR) on enacting the Law on amendment to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, link:
[3] Source: BiH Official Gazette , 145a, paragraph (3), Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Law on amendment to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, published in the “BiH Official Gazette no.46/21), link: http://www.sluzbenilist.ba/page/akt/ExXgztz5k76kjn45hTohz4nh78h77A19nY=
[4] Source: Bojan Žigić: Nürnberg process, link: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/197862145.pdf
[5] Source: Holocaust (Sho'ah): “A new wave of Holocaust negation and an introduction into legal and historical revisionism”, https://www.ifimes.org/en/researches/the-holocaust-shoah-a-new-wave-of-holocaust-negation-and-an-introduction-into-legal-and-historical-revisionism/4409
[6] Source: In the case of Pastörs v. Germany, https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-196148#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-196148%22]}
[7] Source: “Germany must not award a genocide denier”, link: https://amp.dw.com/bs/njemačka-ne-smije-odlikovati-negatora-genocida/a-59733653
[8] Source: Deborah Lipstadt, Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies, IV International Conference “Stop Holocaust and Genocide Denial”, Sarajevo, 20 and 21 June 2019, p. 91-96, link: http://tortura.ba/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/BookBOS.pdf
[9] Source: RTRS: Cvijanović at the Yad Vashem Memorial Center (video), https://lat.rtrs.tv/vijesti/vijest.php?id=454827 (Republika Srpska President Željka Cvijanović recently visited the Holocaust Museum and laid a wreath at the monument to all Holocaust victims, while her SNSD Party, in which she is a Vice President, votes in favor of annulment of the Law on prohibition of denial of Holocaust and genocide in the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina).
[10] Intelligence College in Europe, link: https://www.intelligence-college-europe.org/presentation/
