Bosnian Mass Shooting Victims Seek Answers as Authorities Struggle

Victims and families affected by mass shootings in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to demand answers and solutions from authorities, who have struggled to provide clarity or resolution. The most prominent case involves 21-year-old technology student David Dragicevic, who was found dead in a local river in Banja Luka in March 2018, a week after going missing.

Why this matters: The lack of accountability and transparency in the investigation of mass shootings in Bosnia and Herzegovina has far-reaching implications for the country's fragile political stability and the trust of citizens in their government. If authorities fail to provide justice and answers, it may exacerbate ethnic tensions and undermine the country's progress towards reconciliation and EU integration.

Police initially ruled Dragicevic's death a suicide, but his family accused authorities of involvement, claiming their son was abducted, tortured, and murdered. David's father, Davor Dragicevic, has led months of anti-government protests demanding answers. "Since day one, there was continuous monitoring and discrimination by authorities," Davor stated.

In April 2021, the central Prosecutor's Office for Bosnia and Herzegovina took over the case from the Banja Luka Prosecutor's Office. David's body was exhumed in March 2019, and his parents moved his remains to Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Davor Dragicevic recently sued Republika Srpska's Interior Ministry and judicial institutions for discriminating against him and the Justice for David group.

The case has sparked months of protests in Republika Srpska, with the victim's family accusing authorities of putting pressure on them and their supporters. Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, has called the protests "politically motivated" and denied any wrongdoing by police.

Bosnia and Herzegovina remains ethnically divided and politically tense nearly three decades after the devastating war that tore the country apart from 1992 to 1995. The Dayton agreement, brokered by the United States, ended the conflict but established a complex administrative system with a weak central government and two autonomous entities: the Bosniak-Croat Federation and Republika Srpska.

As victims and their families continue to seek justice and accountability, the Dragicevic case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by those affected by violence and the challenges authorities face in providing answers and solutions. "The aim of my lawsuit is to obtain a legal document that will officially prove that the institutions of Republika Srpska have committed acts of discrimination,"Davor Dragicevic emphasized, underscoring his determination to pursue justice for his son and other victims.

Key Takeaways

• David Dragicevic, 21, found dead in river in Banja Luka, Bosnia in 2018.
• Family accuses authorities of involvement, claims abduction, torture, and murder.
• Father Davor leads anti-government protests, demands justice and accountability.
• Case sparks ethnic tensions, undermines trust in government and EU integration.
• Davor sues Republika Srpska's Interior Ministry and judicial institutions for discrimination.