RS decision to help finance Mladić defense "deplorable"

High Representative in Bosnia Valentin Inzko says the decision of the Serb Republic (RS) to help finance the defense of Ratko Mladic was deeply deplorable. “I am concerned about the financial support of the RS for the defense of Mladic because this is taxpayers' money and this is also the money of the mothers of Srebrenica,” Inzko said in an interview for Reuters. RS decision to help finance Mladic defense "deplorable" According to Reuters, the RS government has donated EUR 50,000 to a fund set up to help defend Bosnian Serb war crimes suspects in The Hague, who include Mladic and his wartime political chief Radovan KAradzic. "I cannot imagine that an Austrian war criminal, a Nazi war criminal, would get financial support from the Republic of Austria," the Austrian diplomat said, adding that “this is what is going on now and is deeply deplorable.” Mladic is facing trial at the Hague Tribunal following his arrest and extradition from Serbia last month. He is suspected of committing war crimes during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia. The Hague prosecution also charged him with genocide. Inzko also commended on the policy pursued by RS President Milorad Dodik, who, according to Reuters, is "often calling for a secession" of the Serb entity from Bosnia. “Dodik is really stretching the nerves of international community and also the nerves of really peaceful Bosniak community, and I think he should stop immediately with this rhetoric,” Inzko said. He said that “peaceful dissolution” of Bosnia, as outlined by Dodik, would lead to a new conflict: "If there will be an attempt for dissolution, we would have a conflict again.” “Peaceful dissolution will not be possible, and if it was possible, it could have happened in 1992 without 100,000 killed people, or it could have happened in 1995, in Dayton, but the international community and the neighboring states wanted to have a united Bosnia,” Inzko said. The Austrian diplomat, who is high representative in Bosnia since 2009, said he was frustrated by the slow pace of reform, as “whatever in any country takes three months, takes here nine months.” “I am also very concerned - very concerned - about the state of the judiciary,” he added. According to Reuters, the diplomat revealed for the first time that he had "twice been offered bribes" during his time in office. He said he rejected the offers, but declined to give specifics. When asked whether he might consider dismissing Dodik, Inzko said: “All options are open.”

RS decision to help finance Mladić defense "deplorable"

According to Reuters, the RS government has donated EUR 50,000 to a fund set up to help defend Bosnian Serb war crimes suspects in The Hague, who include Mladić and his wartime political chief Radovan KAradžić.

"I cannot imagine that an Austrian war criminal, a Nazi war criminal, would get financial support from the Republic of Austria," the Austrian diplomat said, adding that “this is what is going on now and is deeply deplorable.”

Mladić is facing trial at the Hague Tribunal following his arrest and extradition from Serbia last month. He is suspected of committing war crimes during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia. The Hague prosecution also charged him with genocide.

Inzko also commended on the policy pursued by RS President Milorad Dodik, who, according to Reuters, is "often calling for a secession" of the Serb entity from Bosnia.

“Dodik is really stretching the nerves of international community and also the nerves of really peaceful Bosniak community, and I think he should stop immediately with this rhetoric,” Inzko said.

He said that “peaceful dissolution” of Bosnia, as outlined by Dodik, would lead to a new conflict: "If there will be an attempt for dissolution, we would have a conflict again.”

“Peaceful dissolution will not be possible, and if it was possible, it could have happened in 1992 without 100,000 killed people, or it could have happened in 1995, in Dayton, but the international community and the neighboring states wanted to have a united Bosnia,” Inzko said.

The Austrian diplomat, who is high representative in Bosnia since 2009, said he was frustrated by the slow pace of reform, as “whatever in any country takes three months, takes here nine months.”

“I am also very concerned - very concerned - about the state of the judiciary,” he added.

According to Reuters, the diplomat revealed for the first time that he had "twice been offered bribes" during his time in office. He said he rejected the offers, but declined to give specifics.

When asked whether he might consider dismissing Dodik, Inzko said: “All options are open.”