On November 10, 2023, the Center for Civic Education (CGO) and Human Rights Action (HRA), along with Alen Bajrovic, son of Osma Bajrovic, a victim of war crimes, formally requested the removal of Pavle Bulatovic Street in Pljevlja, Montenegro. This initiative highlights long-standing concerns regarding the street’s namesake, who is linked to serious human rights violations during the Bosnian War.
The advocacy groups emphasized their previous endorsements of the removal of illegally placed memorials throughout Montenegro. They reiterated the Minister of Culture and Media’s commitment to upholding the law, stating, “Any illegal placement and retention of memorials, including street names, constitutes a direct violation of the law and a disregard for the values upon which Montenegro rests.” The statement added that there should be “no exceptions, no selective application, and no tolerance” in such cases.
Pavle Bulatovic served as Montenegro’s Minister of Internal Affairs and was implicated in the illegal deportation of Bosnian refugees in 1992. Official documents reveal that under his command, the Montenegrin police unlawfully arrested and handed over at least 66 civilians to the armed forces of the Republika Srpska; only 12 of these individuals survived. These facts were corroborated in the ruling of Case Ks. 6/12 from 2012, available on the judiciary’s website.
Additionally, Bulatovic held the position of Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1993 to 2000, during which time he oversaw military structures involved in severe war crimes across Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. Graham Blewitt, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), publicly confirmed that Bulatovic was under investigation for actions beyond just those in Kosovo.
Prior to this initiative, the Ministry of Culture and Media acknowledged in correspondence that it lacks any documentation supporting the street name. Although the naming occurred during the time of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Article 50 of the Law on Memorials states that any names assigned after November 15, 1971, without the appropriate approval are considered unlawfully assigned. Furthermore, Article 10 prohibits erecting memorials to individuals who have played a negative role in the history of Montenegro or humanity, which undoubtedly applies to Pavle Bulatovic.
More than 15 days have passed since the submission of their request, and the advocacy groups have yet to receive any information regarding the Ministry’s actions on this initiative. In similar matters, the Ministry has reacted swiftly in the past.
The groups urged the Ministry of Culture and Media to act consistently with the Law on Memorials and take necessary steps to remove Pavle Bulatovic Street. They warned that such memorials not only offend the memory of victims but also represent a dangerous attempt to rewrite history, deepening societal divisions and distancing Montenegro from European democratic values.
