Serbian Leader Attacked, Chased off During Anniversary of Bosnia Massacre
SREBRENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina, July 11 (UPI) — Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic was literally assaulted and run out of town Saturday during a commemoration ceremony of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, which killed thousands of Bosnian men and boys during the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Vucic was among other dignitaries and thousands of observers to attend Saturday’s event — honoring the 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys killed by Bosnian Serb forces. The event occurred during a tumultuous time in the Balkan Peninsula during the separation of Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia from a united Yugoslavia.
Those killed during the massacre were seeking shelter at what was supposed to be a United Nations refuge in the town of Srebrenica when they were shot. It was Europe’s worst atrocity since World War II, BBC News reported.
Angry observers began throwing rocks and bottles at Vucic during Saturday’s ceremony, forcing him to flee, CNN and other news media reported. The demonstrators were upset because Vucic is the leader of a nation that history says had a direct hand in the 1995 killings.
The Serbian prime minister was attacked as he walked to a graveyard where dozens of newly found remains were interred with thousands of others from the massacre, CNN reported. Vucic was unhurt and whisked away by bodyguards and a chauffeured car.
Upon returning to Serbia, Vucic told reporters that one stone hit him in the mouth, but he was otherwise unharmed.
“I regret that some people haven’t recognized my sincere intention to build friendship between Serbian and Bosniak people,” he said. “I still give my hand to the Bosniak people. I will continue with that.”
“My hand remains outstretched and I will continue with my policy of reconciliation,” he added.
“This is a scandalous attack and I can say it can be seen as an assassination attempt,” Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, whose administration was heavily involved in the Bosnian crisis, also attended the event.
“I never want to see another killing field like this,” he said.
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