Statement by Eduard Kukan MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for South-Eastern Europe, to commemorate the victims of Srebrenica.

"Srebrenica remains a memento in post-war European history. My memories today reach out to people whose lives were lost during this brutal massacre. I want to express my sincere condolences to all families, friends and loved ones of the victims of this tragic event. It is necessary to tell the truth about this genocide, which happened 16 years ago in Srebrenica for only then will it be possible to come to terms with it", said Eduard Kukan.

Background information

In the summer of 1995, over 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were murdered in Srebrenica by Bosnian Serb forces as the international community stood by.

While the remains of nearly 6,500 people have been identified, many found in more than one grave, many families are holding off burial in the hope that more body parts, or those of another relative, will turn up.

On Monday 11th during the 16th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, funerals will be held for 613 newly-identified victims. Their corpses were found in mass graves and identified through DNA analysis.

Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic, who was caught this May in Serbia, is accused of masterminding the 44-month siege of Sarajevo that left 10,000 people dead and the July 1995 massacre of around 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica.

He has been indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for genocide and crimes against humanity.

For further information:

Eduard KUKAN MEP, Tel:+32-2-2845216

Atilla Agárdi, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-475-750272

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 264 Members.