“Serbia ready for Croatian genocide suit”

Serbia’s legal representative at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Sasa Obradovic says that Serbia is ready to face the genocide suit filed by Croatia. He said that it was even possible that Serbia could file a counter-suit if the court states that it competent to hear the case, though this would ultimately be up to the government. “Serbia ready for Croatian genocide suit” “If the court states that it is competent, and if it rejects our objections to the case, we will receive a deadline by which to respond to that suit,” Obradovic explained. “That response to the suit, besides the fact that it includes a defense, so to speak, can also include a counter-suit, but that counter-suit petition has to be within the framework of the subject of suit itself, which is genocide,” the legal expert said. “So all we can do is to fire back with the same thing Croatia is accusing us of, and that is genocide,” he told B92. On Tuesday, November 18, the International Court of Justice will rule on whether it has jurisdiction to hear Croatia’s legal action against Serbia on charges of genocide. Obradovic said that Serbia could not be held responsible for these crimes, as at the time Croatia filed the suit, neither did the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia even exist, nor was it a member of the United Nations. Veritas Documentation Center Director Savo Strbac thinks that it would be wise if Serbia launched a counter action. “For us Serbs from Croatia, if the court rules that it has jurisdiction, there is a possibility that through a counter-suit, which I hope Serbia would file, and that would be a suit on behalf of us Serbs in Croatia, we would be able to state all the horrors suffered by the Serbs in Croatia,” Strbac said. Democratic Party (DS) official Dragoljub Micunovic does not believe that suits and counter-suits are not the solution for regional reconciliation. He said that the best solution would be for an agreement to be reached between Belgrade and Zagreb. “I think that these suits and counter-suits are doing harm to both of us, because, we are both standing before the doors of Europe,” Micunovic said. “The whole region can count on a European future if it acts in harmony. In this case, if such politically and emotionally charged accusations exist, then it is clear that other relations, from economic ones and others, cannot be in the best order,” he pointed out. Croatia filed the suit against Serbia for genocide before the ICJ in 1999. In the initial version of the suit, Belgrade was accused of genocide against both Croats and Serbs.

“Serbia ready for Croatian genocide suit”

“If the court states that it is competent, and if it rejects our objections to the case, we will receive a deadline by which to respond to that suit,” Obradović explained.

“That response to the suit, besides the fact that it includes a defense, so to speak, can also include a counter-suit, but that counter-suit petition has to be within the framework of the subject of suit itself, which is genocide,” the legal expert said.

“So all we can do is to fire back with the same thing Croatia is accusing us of, and that is genocide,” he told B92.

On Tuesday, November 18, the International Court of Justice will rule on whether it has jurisdiction to hear Croatia’s legal action against Serbia on charges of genocide.

Obradović said that Serbia could not be held responsible for these crimes, as at the time Croatia filed the suit, neither did the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia even exist, nor was it a member of the United Nations.

Veritas Documentation Center Director Savo Štrbac thinks that it would be wise if Serbia launched a counter action.

“For us Serbs from Croatia, if the court rules that it has jurisdiction, there is a possibility that through a counter-suit, which I hope Serbia would file, and that would be a suit on behalf of us Serbs in Croatia, we would be able to state all the horrors suffered by the Serbs in Croatia,” Štrbac said.

Democratic Party (DS) official Dragoljub Mićunović does not believe that suits and counter-suits are not the solution for regional reconciliation.

He said that the best solution would be for an agreement to be reached between Belgrade and Zagreb.

“I think that these suits and counter-suits are doing harm to both of us, because, we are both standing before the doors of Europe,” Mićunović said.

“The whole region can count on a European future if it acts in harmony. In this case, if such politically and emotionally charged accusations exist, then it is clear that other relations, from economic ones and others, cannot be in the best order,” he pointed out.

Croatia filed the suit against Serbia for genocide before the ICJ in 1999. In the initial version of the suit, Belgrade was accused of genocide against both Croats and Serbs.