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Death and legacy of Biljana Plavšić

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2026-10-07 05:26 UTC → 2026-10-08 08:02 UTC · added removed

Biljana Plavšić, the former President of Republika Srpska and a convicted war criminal, died in Belgrade at the age of 96 on October 1, 2026. A biologist by training, Plavšić served as a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and as President of Republika Srpska from 1996 to 1998. She also served as Vice President of Republika Srpska alongside Radovan Karadžić. Plavšić was the first high-ranking politician prosecuted for mass crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). After voluntarily surrendering to the tribunal in 2001, she pleaded guilty in 2003 to crimes against humanity regarding the persecution of non-Serbs during the Bosnian War. She admitted to the political, racial, and religious persecution of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats across 37 municipalities. She served much of an 11-year sentence in Sweden before her release in 2009. Her political legacy remains a subject of intense debate. While some political figures highlight her role in the establishment of Republika Srpska, others emphasize her responsibility for the ethnic cleansing and displacement of thousands of civilians. A new book by law professor Olivera Simić, titled ‘Madam Ratna Zločinka: Biljana Plavšić, Srpska Čelična Lady’, provides further insight into her wartime stance and lack of remorse. Based on seven years of interviews, the book details how Plavšić defended ethnic cleansing as a ‘natural phenomenon’ and claimed she only pleaded guilty to avoid a lengthy trial, stating, ‘I did nothing wrong. I admitted guilt to crimes against humanity so they would drop the other charges.’ Following her death, funeral and a formal commemoration services were scheduled to take place was held in Banja Luka on Tuesday, October 6. High-ranking officials, including President Milorad Dodik and National Assembly President Nenad Stevandić, attended the event, where speakers described her as a ‘fighter for the Serbian people’ and the region’s first female president.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-08 08:02 UTC Death and legacy of Biljana Plavšić
  2. 2026-10-07 05:26 UTC Death and legacy of Biljana Plavšić
  3. 2026-10-04 22:29 UTC Death and legacy of Biljana Plavšić
  4. 2026-10-03 05:54 UTC Death and legacy of Biljana Plavšić

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