MPs to condemn crimes against Serbs

Members of the Serbian parliament is today discussing a draft declaration that condemns crimes committed against Serbs and citizens of Serbia. The draft also strongly condemns crimes committed during the 1990s armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and "expressing regrets and solidarity" with the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia. MPs to condemn crimes against Serbs The draft, which is included in the agenda of the second sitting of the fall session of parliament, strongly condemns the crimes committed against Serbs in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo and Metohija, and calls on parliaments of other countries, mainly from the territory of the former Yugoslavia, to also condemn those crimes. The proposed document, tabled by 123 MPs, also expresses regret and solidarity with the victims of NATO's 1999 war and confidence that peace and stability are based on respect for international law. The Serbian parliament (Beta) The debate Opposition SNS leader and MP Tomislav Nikolic criticized the ruling majority on Thursday for not including the 1999 NATO bombing and the events in Slovenia from the early 1990s in their draft declaration condemning war crimes committed against Serbs. During the debate, Nikolic stated the document did not mention all war crimes, especially those committed by NATO. "We expect NATO to apologize for the victims they caused, but instead you have taken their place in expressing condolences," Nikolic said. Opposition New Serbia leader and MP Velimir Ilic criticized the declaration for the same reason, adding that its purpose was "simply to satisfy the public and the opposition". "War crimes are always the same, regardless of the victims, and parliament should have opted for a single declaration to condemn all crimes," Ilic remarked. Ruling DS parliamentary group chief Nada Kolundzija stated that by adopting the declaration on the condemnation of crimes against Serbs and Serbian citizens parliament intends to encourage the local and international institutions, as well as the institutions in the region, to emulate the same stance regarding the victims. I hope this discussion would not turn into vying to prove who loves Serbia more, who feels the people's wounds more deeply, but would rather present an effort of a responsible institution to shed light on the past in the right way, place emphasis on individual responsibility and make sure the victims will not be forgotten, the crimes not repeated,” stated Kolundzija during Parliament's debate on the draft declaration. Ruling Socialist Party of Serbia-United Serbia (SPS-JS) deputy whip and JS party leader Dragan Markovic demanded that NATO apologizes for the crimes and civilian casualties during the 1999 bombing campaign. Markovic said that “the government's survival would have been questionable” had not the draft of the declaration been placed high on the agenda of Serbian parliament. Commenting on this draft, Markovic said that SPS-JS will vote for it, and reminded that although Serbs have never fought conquering wars, but only defensive ones, they paid very dearly. He called upon Croatia, Bosnia and the assembly in Pristina to condemn the crimes committed against the Serb people, and NATO to apologize to Serbia, "as it apologized to Afghanistan several days ago". His coalition colleague and parliamentary group boss Branko Ruzic said that the SPS-JS coalition would support the proposed declaration that condemns all war crimes against the Serbs, adding that he expected other parliaments in the region to condemn the war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia as well. "We think that regardless of the contents of the declaration, which some perhaps see as weaker than the one condemning the massacre in Srebrenica, the document still represents a civilizational step forward and an acknowledgment of the crimes committed against Serbs and Serbian citizens," Ruzic told reporters in the parliament. Serbia has shown willingness and courage to speak about everything that happened in the former Yugoslavia, and it is now up to other parliaments in the region to do the same, Ruzic noted.

MPs to condemn crimes against Serbs

The draft, which is included in the agenda of the second sitting of the fall session of parliament, strongly condemns the crimes committed against Serbs in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo and Metohija, and calls on parliaments of other countries, mainly from the territory of the former Yugoslavia, to also condemn those crimes.

The proposed document, tabled by 123 MPs, also expresses regret and solidarity with the victims of NATO's 1999 war and confidence that peace and stability are based on respect for international law.

The debate

Opposition SNS leader and MP Tomislav Nikolić criticized the ruling majority on Thursday for not including the 1999 NATO bombing and the events in Slovenia from the early 1990s in their draft declaration condemning war crimes committed against Serbs.

During the debate, Nikolić stated the document did not mention all war crimes, especially those committed by NATO.

"We expect NATO to apologize for the victims they caused, but instead you have taken their place in expressing condolences," Nikolić said.

Opposition New Serbia leader and MP Velimir Ilic criticized the declaration for the same reason, adding that its purpose was "simply to satisfy the public and the opposition".

"War crimes are always the same, regardless of the victims, and parliament should have opted for a single declaration to condemn all crimes," Ilić remarked.

Ruling DS parliamentary group chief Nada Kolundžija stated that by adopting the declaration on the condemnation of crimes against Serbs and Serbian citizens parliament intends to encourage the local and international institutions, as well as the institutions in the region, to emulate the same stance regarding the victims.

I hope this discussion would not turn into vying to prove who loves Serbia more, who feels the people's wounds more deeply, but would rather present an effort of a responsible institution to shed light on the past in the right way, place emphasis on individual responsibility and make sure the victims will not be forgotten, the crimes not repeated,” stated Kolundžija during Parliament's debate on the draft declaration.

Ruling Socialist Party of Serbia-United Serbia (SPS-JS) deputy whip and JS party leader Dragan Marković demanded that NATO apologizes for the crimes and civilian casualties during the 1999 bombing campaign.

Marković said that “the government's survival would have been questionable” had not the draft of the declaration been placed high on the agenda of Serbian parliament.

Commenting on this draft, Marković said that SPS-JS will vote for it, and reminded that although Serbs have never fought conquering wars, but only defensive ones, they paid very dearly.

He called upon Croatia, Bosnia and the assembly in Priština to condemn the crimes committed against the Serb people, and NATO to apologize to Serbia, "as it apologized to Afghanistan several days ago".

His coalition colleague and parliamentary group boss Branko Ružić said that the SPS-JS coalition would support the proposed declaration that condemns all war crimes against the Serbs, adding that he expected other parliaments in the region to condemn the war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia as well.

"We think that regardless of the contents of the declaration, which some perhaps see as weaker than the one condemning the massacre in Srebrenica, the document still represents a civilizational step forward and an acknowledgment of the crimes committed against Serbs and Serbian citizens," Ružić told reporters in the parliament.

Serbia has shown willingness and courage to speak about everything that happened in the former Yugoslavia, and it is now up to other parliaments in the region to do the same, Ružić noted.