ZNAM strongly condemns any attempt to glorify war crimes and war criminals

The ZNAM Movement for Our Macedonia has expressed a firm stance against the war crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, including the Hague cases related to Macedonia during 2001. It strongly condemns any attempt to glorify, downplay or justify these acts.

According to ZNAM, there can be no double standards when it comes to honoring victims, respecting international law and the values of civilization. The movement stresses that no war crime can be justified and that no person convicted by a final court ruling can be held up as a model to be respected or admired. ZNAM also clarifies that the post in question represents the personal view of the director of the Agency for the Realization of the Rights of Communities and does not reflect the position of the Government or those in power. Responsibility for public actions and positions must be assumed both individually and institutionally. Therefore, it considers the claim that ZNAM “is remaining silent” to be unfounded and politically dishonest simply because it did not respond within a deadline dictated by the opposition.

The party reaffirmed that ZNAM always acts and communicates on the basis of its fundamental principles.

“If we truly want a serious conversation about European values, democracy, confronting the past and respecting international norms, then it must take place without labeling, political pamphlets or contrived historical narratives created for the politics of the moment. ZNAM condemns any glorification of war crimes and war criminals. At the same time, ZNAM also rejects the political instrumentalization of this extremely serious issue, which aims to create collective blame, ethnic divisions and political constructs. Venko Filipche and SDSM are turning an important issue into a broad political construct, attempting to link the parties in power and the ZNAM Movement with Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, the ‘Serbian world,’ China, Russia and the KPM. For us, this is a classic technique of political manipulation, aimed at turning a specific act into a broader narrative to discredit the entire Government and its coalition allies. At the same time, as a serious political movement and entity, we will not allow so-called political ‘interpreters’ to tell us what we think, what we believe in and what we stand for. ZNAM’s position is clear: Macedonia’s future lies in NATO and the European Union! ZNAM will continue to uphold its responsibility toward Macedonia through an independent position, clear principles and respect for statehood, international law and all its citizens,” their statement said.