Country Report: Serbia
- Genocide Watch
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By Kolby Phillip
Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic greets his supporters gathered during a huge rally in his support, apparently designed to counter student-led gatherings in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Serbian history is replete with genocide, war crimes, denialism, and triumphalism. World War II saw the Nazi-collaborator Chetniks commit genocide against Catholic Croats and Bosniak Muslims. In 1945, Josef Broz Tito installed a communist dictatorship with its capital in Belgrade. After the death of Tito in 1980, Serbian President Slobodan Milošević promoted a “Greater Serbia” ideology.
In 1992, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina declared independence from the Yugoslav Federation. The Bosnian breakaway Republika Srpska led by Radovan Karadžić, organized an army under the command of Radko Mladić. It took control of Serb majority areas in Bosnia and Croatia. It carried out forced deportation, mass rape, and murder against Croats and Bosniak Muslims and drove them out of Serb territories. The Bosnian War ensued from 1992 – 1995. It ended with the Dayton Agreement in 1995, creating a federation in Bosnia and granting autonomy to the Republika Srpska.
The Republika Srpska occupied Srebrenica in 1995, a so-called “safe area” that was supposed to be protected by the UN Peacekeeping Force, UNPROFOR. The city’s Dutch defenders surrendered to the Republika Srpska army and allowed it to abduct 8000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys. It massacred all of them in July 1995 and buried them in mass graves.
The Srebrenica massacre was held to constitute genocide by the ICTY and ICJ. It was the largest “mass murder within Europe since World War II.” In 2016, Karadžić was convicted of genocide in Srebrenica, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, Mladic was convicted in 2017 of genocide and crimes against humanity. Both are serving life sentences.
In 1998, Serbian Army forces in the Serbian province of Kosovo were targeted in sporadic terror attacks by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). In 1998, Serbian Army forces began a campaign of retributive massacres. They drove tens of thousands of Kosovar Albanians out of their towns. Both Serbian forces and the KLA committed atrocities against civilians. The withdrawal of the Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM), the Račak massacre, and the failure of the Rambouillet Accords led to NATO bombings of Belgrade. Serbia surrendered quickly and withdrew its army from Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Serbia still refuses to recognize Kosovo’s independence.
In Serbia today, denial and glorification of Serbian crimes during the Yugoslav Wars and the Kosovo War are rampant. Serbian schoolbooks emphasize Serb victimhood and deny any Serb atrocities. They misrepresent the boundaries of Balkan nations. Convicted war criminals like Karadžić and Mladić are celebrated. A mural stands in Belgrade bearing the words “We are thankful to your mother, general” with an image of Republika Srpska Commander Ratko Mladić.
In May 2024, the U.N. General Assembly passed Resolution 78/282, declaring July 11th as an annual day of remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide. Serbia voted against the resolution. Donning the Serbian flag, Serb President Aleksandar Vučić claimed the resolution was "highly politicized," aimed "to stigmatize Serbian people," Vučić said he is "proud of my Serbia." Serbian leaders still deny that "genocide" occurred in Srebrenica.
In September 2023, Serb militants enter Banjska, Zvečan, ambushing and killing four Kosovo police. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti claimed that Serbia “orchestrated and financed” the attack. Serbia’s Vučić replied that Serb militants acted independently and were reacting to Kosovo’s discriminatory policies in its Serb-majority areas of northern Kosovo.
Serbian draft laws proposed in October 2024 describe Kosovo as an "area of special protection" rather than as a sovereign country. They "assert Serbian jurisdiction over criminal acts committed in Kosovo." Prime Minister Kurti denounced the proposed Serb laws. Serbia’s Vučić contends he has “no relationship at all” with the Kurti government.
Genocide Watch considers Serbia to be at Stage 6: Polarization and Stage 10: Denial.
Genocide Watch recommends that:
The EU should condition Serbia’s EU membership on Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence.
Serbia should revise its schoolbooks to acknowledge the Srebrenica genocide and ICTY and ICJ judgments.
Serbia should officially reject Republika Srpska proposals that it be annexed by Serbia.
Serbia should recognize the UN’s declaration of July 11th as Srebrenica Remembrance Day.
