A Glasgow Tory councillor has apologised for comparing the SNP’s nationalism to the former Yugoslavia.
Phillip Charles also likened Scottish nationalism to the situation in Bosnia, whose people were shelled in the 1990s and suffered a genocide.
An SNP spokesperson said: “These absurd comparisons are an insult to the people of Scotland who, overwhelmingly, conduct political debate in a reasonable, civilised and peaceful manner – and these comments also trivialise the horrors of the war in Bosnia.
“Councillor Charles was right to apologise.”
Yugoslavia’s breakup led to a series of wars and countries such as Bosnia and Croatia declaring their independence.
Bosnian towns and cities were subjected to a brutal military campaign by Bosnian Serb forces which culminated in the Srebrenica genocide of 1995, where 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred.
With Bosnia effectively split into separate autonomous regions, tensions remain to this day.
Despite Bosnia’s bloody recent history, Baillieston councillor Charles has on multiple occasions mentioned the Balkans when discussing Scotland and Scottish nationalism.
The former veteran, who says he served in Bosnia, tweeted in March 2019: “Nationalism is the same whether in Former Yugoslavia , SNP or UKIP.”
He returned to a similar theme weeks later: “I’m afraid I’ve never experienced civil Nationalism.......probably goes back to my experience in Bosnia hey ho I find Nats the same!”
After being told that a comparison between Scotland and Bosnia was ridiculous, he replied: “Not trying to compère anything but I find Bosnia comparAble to independence in Scotland!”
He tweeted in October of the same year: “I know it’s inconvenient but Bosnia and the situation there is extremely similar to Nationalism here.”
After being accused of being part of the Tory Government last December, he wrote:
“I’m part of Glasgow City Council. The Conservative party is a Unionist party most definitely not nationalist . We are not too far off Bosnia.”
He also clashed with another Twitter user days ago: “I’ll just call out nationalists such as your selves. I saw it in Bosnia and I see it in Scotland. You guys need to be called out.”
According to the city council website, Charles is employed as a “vessel manager” and is a member of the Safe Glasgow Partnership.
The councillor, who is not standing again in May, told the Record: “Having seen what happened in Bosnia first hand, I would never downplay those tragic events.
“There is no comparison between present day Scotland and what happened in Bosnia, and I was wrong to even suggest that there was.
“I apologise for these posts.
“However, I would still argue that nationalism is just as ugly and divisive anywhere in the world it is found.”
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “Nobody should make light of the harrowing events in Bosnia and it’s right that Councillor Charles has apologised.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex-Cole Hamilton said: “To compare modern day Scottish politics to the nationalism of the Balkans conflicts is a gross misrepresentation and diminishes the atrocities in former Yugoslavia.”
In 2020 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon led commemorations in Scotland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.
She said at the time: “I have had the enormous privilege to visit Srebrenica and meet survivors of the genocide as well as bereaved friends and family members who continue to this day to fight to preserve the memory of their loved ones.
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