Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on November 20 denying recent foreign media reports alleging that President Aleksandar Vučić was involved in wartime events in Bosnia. The ministry said the allegations, including references to a “human safari” during the Sarajevo siege, were unfounded and stressed that no court had ever linked Vučić to war crimes. Below is the full statement issued by the ministry.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia strongly condemns and notes with serious concern the sensational and unfounded claims disseminated in some foreign media, including fabricated articles about the so-called “human safari” during the siege of Sarajevo, regarding the alleged role of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s.
The Ministry unequivocally rejects such fabrications and assesses them as a further example of the systematic spread of disinformation aimed at damaging the reputation of the Republic of Serbia and its highest institutions.
The Ministry recalls that no relevant national, international or specialized judicial, investigative or supervisory authorities have ever linked President Aleksandar Vučić to any form of military activity, war crimes or acts that, by their nature or consequences, could be classified as violations of international law.
It is particularly worrying that the topic of one of the most tragic periods in the Balkans’ recent history is once again being used as a tool for political manipulation, deliberately stirring up tensions and contributing to instability in the region. The malicious construction of a sensational narrative, including completely unsubstantiated claims about the alleged “human safari”, is a grave insult to the dignity of the victims and represents a blatant denial of the efforts of responsible actors in the region to build an atmosphere of lasting trust, mutual respect and constructive cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assesses that such coordinated media campaigns in certain countries are deliberately creating a distorted and hostile image of the Republic of Serbia with the express aim of lowering its international standing, weakening the credibility of state institutions and undermining responsible national leadership. Such efforts undermine the atmosphere of trust in international relations and damage efforts to promote a stable and predictable political situation in the region.
The Republic of Serbia remains firmly committed to the policy of peace, stability and constructive cooperation in the region and the wider international environment. In this spirit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeals to the media, political actors and all participants in the public sphere to refrain from sensationalism and to demonstrate the highest degree of professional responsibility and respect for facts when reporting on sensitive historical issues. Truth and responsibility for victims of conflict must take precedence over any political or media interests. Only such an approach will preserve the dignity of victims and strengthen confidence in regional and international cooperation.