Zogović: Condemning the genocide in Velika is a call for justice and reconciliation

Deputy Prime Minister Milun Zogović stated today that the genocide committed in Velika on 28 July 1944 by the Prinz Eugen and Skanderbeg divisions, in which more than 500 innocent civilians – including children, women, and the elderly – were brutally murdered, stands as one of the most horrific war crimes on Montenegrin soil. This tragic event annually unites us in solemn remembrance, as we pray alongside the families of the victims and honor those who were mercilessly killed simply because of their ethnicity.

He added that today, in peace and silence, we pray for the souls of the innocent children, women, and elders, our brothers, neighbors, and friends, while firmly condemning this horrific crime. Joint condemnation serves as both a tribute and a reminder to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.

Deputy Prime Minister Zogović emphasized that forgetting the Velika massacre would not merely be an act of omission but a new injustice against the innocent victims. Therefore, the condemnation of this monstrous crime must be unequivocal, without relativization or neglect, especially from all citizens of Montenegro.

He highlighted that the grief of Velika has lasted for generations and that shared humanity, empathy, and acknowledgment of the genocide are moral imperatives. The crime in Velika bears all the hallmarks of genocide: the deliberate and systematic killing of people solely because of their religious and ethnic identity.

Zogović recalled that in 2022, the Parliament of Montenegro adopted a Resolution condemning the genocide in Velika and Piva.

Remembering this atrocity is not only a local or familial matter – it is a universal moral duty. Only through truth, justice, and a culture of remembrance can we build a better future.

Attempts to diminish, justify, or deny such crimes are unacceptable.

In condemning this crime, we do not call for revenge but for justice and reconciliation. Reconciliation is only possible when the truth is acknowledged, every crime condemned, and every innocent victim equally honored, concluded Zogović.