prijava
SARAJEVO, November 22 (FENA) - EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell visited the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo yesterday and paid tribute to civilian victims of war and celebrated the work of peace-builders with representatives of the international community.
Borrell recalled the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995 and stressed in his address that it was one of the most shameful episodes in European modern history.
“We were ashamed that we failed to stop the war. It took the lives of more than 100,000 people, half of whom were civilian casualties, while more than a million people fled. Today, we are celebrating the anniversary of the end of the war and the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, and it is a great honor for me to pay tribute to all the victims of the war on behalf of the European Union,” said Borrell.
He pointed out that the citizens of BiH must pay tribute to the past, but look to the future as the citizens of Spain did after the civil war.
“We must be aware that the seed of conflict lies in the country and there is a danger that it will grow again if we do not work together to preserve peace. I am a Spaniard and a European and I fully understand what it is like to live in a time after a devastating war because my country went through a terrible civil war after a terrible dictatorship. After the war, Spain looked to Europe and united in that goal, it worked on democratic values,” he explained.
He added that young people in BiH should be given the opportunity to work for a better future for its citizens and that the European Union will continue to support BiH in building a prosperous and sustainable future without conflicts, built on true democratic values.
(FENA) A. B.
