Pro Peace strongly condemns the violent attack on acclaimed writer and KROKODIL Program Director Vladimir Arsenijević, as well as the threats, intimidation and desecration of the site intended for the peaceful commemoration of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in Belgrade on 11 July 2026. Due to serious security concerns, the commemoration organised by the People Remember People/Ljude Pamte Ljude coalition had to be cancelled.
We express our full solidarity with Vladimir Arsenijević, the KROKODIL team, the People Remember People/Ljude Pamte Ljude coalition and everyone affected by this attack. We also stand with all those who continue to work for truth, justice, remembrance and a responsible engagement with the violent past of the region. KROKODIL is a long-standing Pro Peace partner in Serbia and has worked since 2009 through literature, culture and public engagement to promote dialogue, reconciliation and the rebuilding of connections across the Western Balkans. The memorial planned for 11 July 2026 beneath Branko’s Bridge in Belgrade formed part of the wider People Remember People/Ljude Pamte Ljude program marking the anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. It was intended to provide a peaceful public space in which citizens could honour the victims, preserve their names and stories, and reaffirm a fact-based culture of remembrance.
This attack must not be viewed as an isolated incident. Kristen Schubert, Head of Programmes Western Balkans at Pro Peace, emphasis: “This attack is part of a worrying development in Serbia. This and other attacks create an increasingly hostile environment for civil society organisations, journalists, and human rights defenders who challenge nationalism, historical revisionism and the denial of established facts about war crimes. When threats and campaigns of intimidation escalate into physical violence, the space for open dialogue, and peaceful remembrance is placed under direct pressure.”
Pro Peace remains committed to supporting its partners and all those who create spaces in which difficult histories can be addressed openly and responsibly. We encourage civil society organisations, cultural and media institutions, international partners and individuals across the region and beyond to stand visibly with KROKODIL, express their solidarity with those affected and continue supporting spaces for remembrance, dialogue and critical engagement with the past.
Cologne 13th July 2026
