Survey: Majority oppose Mladić arrest

About 64 percent of respondents in a new survey oppose the arrest of Ratko Mladic, according Ipsos Strategic Pulse agency. According to the poll, commissioned by the OSCE mission in Serbia and the Belgrade Human Rights Center, 25 percent of those questioned support the arrest and extradition of the former Bosnian Serb military leader, while 11 percent have no stance on the issue. Survey: Majority oppose Mladic arrest The survey was done in between April and June of this year. A total of 1,400 Serbian citizens were polled. Some 56 percent of those surveyed believe that Mladic is not guilty of the crimes he has been indicted of by the Hague Tribunal, while 22 percent believe he is guilty, and the same percentage do not know. In the case of former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic, 55 percent of those who participated believe that he is not guilty, and 62 percent opposed his extradition to the Hague Tribunal. According to the Director of the Belgrade Human Rights Center Vojin Dimitrijevic, "the case of support for Mladic" should be dealt with "by social psychologists", because it is an “inborn resistance against someone belonging to your nation being guilty.” He said that the "fact that the highest circulation newspapers in Serbia are anti-Hague" also added to these sentiments, as did "the years of indoctrination by the state television" and added "the government and the Tribunal and its prosecution are also to blame, saying that the latter tow "have the failing of dealing with a region that it does not know well enough.” Dimitrijevic went on to say that the "international community and EU are also to blame", adding that they “sometimes make decisions that are not entirely intelligible”. The survey showed that 72 percent have a negative opinion of the Hague Tribunal, 14 percent have a positive opinion, while 15 percent have no opinion at all when it comes to the UN war crimes court. 70 percent believe that Serbs accused by the tribunal are in a worse position than those belonging to other nations. 39 percent believe that Serbia should not cooperate with the court, while 55 percent think the opposite. Asked whether the Hague Tribunal positively contributes to the reconciliation process between countries of the former Yugoslavia, 71 percent said that it does not, while 14 percent had a positive answer, and 15 percent said that they did not know. 66 percent believe that the Serbian courts are capable of handling war crimes cases, while 25 percent believe they are not. According to the survey, 45 percent of respondents said that the War Crimes Prosecution does not have the courage to start all war crimes cases, including those against senior police and military officials, while 33 percent said that it is "brave enough to do so". 51 percent of those surveyed stated that the security services, military and police are not trying to prevent investigations into police and military officials, while 46 percent believe otherwise. Dimitrijevic, left, presents the survey results (Beta)

Survey: Majority oppose Mladić arrest

The survey was done in between April and June of this year. A total of 1,400 Serbian citizens were polled.

Some 56 percent of those surveyed believe that Mladić is not guilty of the crimes he has been indicted of by the Hague Tribunal, while 22 percent believe he is guilty, and the same percentage do not know.

In the case of former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadžić, 55 percent of those who participated believe that he is not guilty, and 62 percent opposed his extradition to the Hague Tribunal.

According to the Director of the Belgrade Human Rights Center Vojin Dimitrijević, "the case of support for Mladić" should be dealt with "by social psychologists", because it is an “inborn resistance against someone belonging to your nation being guilty.”

He said that the "fact that the highest circulation newspapers in Serbia are anti-Hague" also added to these sentiments, as did "the years of indoctrination by the state television" and added "the government and the Tribunal and its prosecution are also to blame, saying that the latter tow "have the failing of dealing with a region that it does not know well enough.”

Dimitrijević went on to say that the "international community and EU are also to blame", adding that they “sometimes make decisions that are not entirely intelligible”.

The survey showed that 72 percent have a negative opinion of the Hague Tribunal, 14 percent have a positive opinion, while 15 percent have no opinion at all when it comes to the UN war crimes court.

70 percent believe that Serbs accused by the tribunal are in a worse position than those belonging to other nations. 39 percent believe that Serbia should not cooperate with the court, while 55 percent think the opposite.

Asked whether the Hague Tribunal positively contributes to the reconciliation process between countries of the former Yugoslavia, 71 percent said that it does not, while 14 percent had a positive answer, and 15 percent said that they did not know.

66 percent believe that the Serbian courts are capable of handling war crimes cases, while 25 percent believe they are not.

According to the survey, 45 percent of respondents said that the War Crimes Prosecution does not have the courage to start all war crimes cases, including those against senior police and military officials, while 33 percent said that it is "brave enough to do so".

51 percent of those surveyed stated that the security services, military and police are not trying to prevent investigations into police and military officials, while 46 percent believe otherwise.