The spread of ethno-nationalism does not pave way towards Euro-Atlantic integration and only perpetuates an atmosphere of fear and hate among various ethnic groups and enforces artificial separatism within Bosnia and Herzegovina. "We were alarmed to see a representative from the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the Consul General at an event that glorifies war criminals. War criminals are not heroes. Lastly, the Serbian Institute allegedly aims to educate the public and promote a better understanding of the Balkan issues, yet is praising individuals who committed ethnic cleansing and genocide," stated ACBH Vice President, Vehid Deumic. Since Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, it has faced some of the greatest challenges seen in Europe since World War II. The war of aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina left over 100,000 dead, over 2 million displaced and over 20,000 Bosniak Muslim women and girls raped. The Serb forces ethnically cleansed the overwhelming majority of the non-Serb population from Republika Srpska at the command of Radovan Karadzic - former President of Republika Srpska, head of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), and the former Supreme Commander of the Bosnian Serb Army. In addition, on July 11, 1995, the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, a declared United Nations safe haven, fell to the Serb military forces led by General Ratko Mladic, who along with his forces slaughtered more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys within a five day period, marking the final act of brutal ethnic cleansing and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Last July, the Appeals judges at the ICTY reinstated a genocide charge against Radovan Karadzic and pointed out to evidence that Karadzic and members of the joint criminal enterprise "had decided that one third of Muslims would be killed, one third would be converted to the Orthodox religion and a third will leave on their own." On behalf of all concerned citizens of the United States and Bosnian Americans, ACBH stands by the U.S. and EU policy of a united, multiethnic and democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina and strongly condemns any distortion of what happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992-1995. Instead of focusing on the glorification of war criminals, ACBH encourages organizations such as the Serbian Institute to promote peace, stability, democracy and the rule of law - all items that will enrich the lives of not only Serbs, but all people of the Southeast Europe region. _________ ACBH is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Bosnian Americans and works to improve relations between the United States and BiH. ACBH advocates for a united, democratic, multiethnic, and indivisible BiH with a primary goal of advancing the integration of BiH into the EU and NATO.