The Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina/EU Special Representative Office is deeply concerned at reports of an apparent restart of construction at the Orthodox church at Budak/Dugo Polje.

The European Union is strongly committed to commemorating the genocide committed at Srebrenica and promoting reconciliation and mutual respect between communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Equally, the European Union holds freedom of religious expression to be a core value. Communities should be able to practice their religion without hindrance.

For these reasons, and on account of the highly sensitive location of this particular church, the EUD/EUSR calls on the Serbian Orthodox Church to freeze any resumption of construction and to engage with the Municipality of Srebrenica to find a solution for the location that would accommodate the concerns of all communities, the families of the victims as well as the believers of different faiths.