Disappointment in Bosnia, relief in Serbia

Disappointment in Bosnia, relief in Serbia

“However, the part of the ruling pertaining to Serbia’s failure to do what was in its power and prevent the genocide over Bosniak citizens in Srebrenica is hard on Serbia”, Tadić said in his direct address to the public.

The part of the judgment that demanded Serbia’s immediate and full cooperation with the Hague was particularly important to Serbia, according to Tadić.

“Should Serbia fall short of complying with the Court’s ruling, it will suffer serious political and economic consequences”, Tadić concluded.

Meanwhile, Serbian prime minister Vojislav Koštunica said the only way toward the necessary reconciliation between the former Yugoslav nations was in solving all the war crimes and bringing their perpetrators to justice.

“The ICJ judgment in Bosnian lawsuit against FRY is particularly important as it clears Serbia of the heavy accusation of genocide”, Koštunica said in a statement.

He added Serbia was “undertaking and will continue to undertake” all the necessary measures leading to the full Hague cooperation.

“It is in Serbia’s interest to finalize that cooperation as soon as possible”, Koštunica said.

Bosniaks disappointed

Sakib Softić, Bosnia's representative in the case against SCG, is only partially satisfied with the ICJ’s ruling. He said he was content that the International Court of Justice found Serbia accountable for failing to stop the genocide in Bosnia, arrest war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladić and falling short of punishing the perpetrators of genocides in Bosnia, Nes radio reports.

However, he expressed his disappointment that the Court didn’t find FRY itself responsible for the genocide.

Bosniak member of the Bosnian Presidency Haris Silajdžič said he was unsatisfied that Serbia and Montenegro escaped responsibility for, and complicity in, genocide during the 1992-95 Bosnia war.

“On the other hand, this the first time a state has been accused of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention by failing to prevent and punish the perpetrators. Serbia thus has to assume its political, moral and material accountability for the act”, Silajdžić claims.

He added that the ruling was inconclusive.

“Bosnia-Herzegovina thus needs to annul the results of the genocide that permeate all stratums of Bosnian society. We will achieve that by altering what has been founded on the genocide’s outcome – interior structure of Bosnia and its Constitution", Silajdžić concluded.

Bosnian Presidency member Željko Komšić said he was disappointed with the International Court’s ruling in the case of Bosnia against FRY.

“I can’t say whether the lack of evidence or the wrong judgment has been at work. The genocide was committed in Bosnia in the Nineties and anyone who thinks otherwise shuts his eyes before the truth. I know what I will teach my children”, Komšić said adding that Bosnia was now obliged to abide by the ruling which wouldn’t bring harm to mutual relations of Bosnia and Serbia.

Republic of Srpska satisfied, but worried

The Republic of Srpska breathed a sigh of relief at today’s ruling, but wondered whether its content in effect shifted the responsibility from Serbia to the Republic of Srpska.

A legal expert from Banja Luka, Miroslav Mikeš, said that Serbia "acted as it did",a s well as that "Serbia’s attitude cannot have repercussions for the Republic of Srpska".

Bosnian Presidency Chairman Nebojša Radmanović said he hoped that the ruling wouldn't strain the situation in the country, and worsen relations between Bosnia and Serbia.

“The ruling is bound to disappoint Bosniaks and add to the tensions. I cannot say at the moment what could change in Bosnia’s relations with Serbia. The Bosnian Presidency opted to nurture good relations with its neighbors and we will make sure that the whole country follow suit”, Radmanović concluded.

Dodik against collective guilt

Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska, underlined that atrocities in Srebrenica cannot be labeled as genocidal but regarded as a crime.

He rejected any responsibility on the part of the Republic of Srpska, its institutions and the Serbian people in general.

“I eliminate RS’s responsibility and oppose the attributes attached to the crimes in Srebrenica. It was not a genocide, and whatever happened there had not been planned”, Dodik told the press adding that he still believed the indictment to be illegal and illegitimate from the start since it hadn’t been launched by official Bosnian institutions.

Dodik insisted that all attention must from now on be focused on the dialogue aimed at Bosnia’s prosperity.

Drašković: Serbia to punish perpetrators

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Drašković believes that Serbia can be satisfied with today’s judgment since there will no longer be any stigma attached to its alleged liability for Srebrenica genocide.

“Serbia is morally responsible to bring the real perpetrators to justice”, Drašković said underscoring the importance of the "proven" truth that Serbia was not to blame for encouraging or instigating Serbrenica massacre.

Čanak horrified

League of Vojvodina Social-Democrats leader Nenad Čanak said he was “speechless” as he learned about today’s judgment in Bosnian genocide suit against Serbia.

“Let the blood and ashes of Bosnia fall on the hands of all those who reached such a verdict”, Čanak was quoted.