On the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a powerful commemorative message—read by France’s Minister for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad—underscoring remembrance, recognition, and France’s continued support for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Srebrenica remains a permanent stain on the collective memory of Europe and the entire world. It compels us to be truthful and just,” Macron declared in the statement.
He emphasized that truth means fully acknowledging the scale of the crime, which was ethnically motivated, as well as recognizing the international community’s failure to protect civilians in July 1995.
“It is an admission of failure, so that such evil may never happen again—and so that a shared future can be built,” he said.
The French president warned against genocide denial and historical revisionism, particularly in a region aspiring to join the European Union.
“Justice means respecting court rulings. There is no room for denial or revisionism in a region seeking EU membership,” Macron stated.
He concluded his address with a historical reflection on France’s post-WWII reconciliation with Germany, offering it as an example of what is possible through peace and courage.
“This remembrance commits us to courage—to the daily, sustained effort of building peace and trust, leaving no one behind. France stands with Bosnia and Herzegovina, supporting it on the difficult but essential path of reconciliation, peacebuilding, and a prosperous future in a united Europe.”
