Serbia president denies Srebrenica genocide

Serbias new president has publicly stated that genocide did not take place in Srebrenica, where Bosnian Serb forces are said to have massacred about 8,000 Muslim men and boys during the countrys civil war.

Tomislav Nikolic, who was elected president last month, reportedly said in an interview with Montenegran state TV on Friday: "There was no genocide in Srebrenica."

The right-wing politician went on concede that "grave war crimes were committed by some Serbs, who should be found, prosecuted and punished."

Former Serbian general Ratko Mladic is on trialin The Hague, accused of genocide in Srebrenica. The slaughter occurred near the end of the Bosnian war, which lasted between 1992 and 1995. At the time, the town had been declared a safe haven by the United Nations.

The Bosnian Serbs' political leader during that period, Radovan Karadzic, is also on trial in The Hague, accused of genocide.

Nikolic's predecessor, Boris Tadic, made an apology to relatives of Srebrenica's victims in 2005 and attended memorial ceremonies.

The Serbian parliament passed an historic declaration in 2010 condemning the Srebrenica massacre.

Nikolic said he would not attend the annual commemoration of the Srebrenica massacre in July.

The new leader appears to be holding a more nationalistic stance since his surprise win over Tadic in a runoff vote in May.

Nikolic broke away from the ultra-nationalist Radical Party in 2008, presenting himself as a moderate and pushing for Serbian membership in the European Union.

However, his recent remarks may scuttle that attempt. EU officials have said they would like to see Serbia improve its relations with its neighbours Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo before allowing membership.