"No deadline" for Mladić arrest

Serbia does not have a deadline to arrest Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, says Vladimir Vukcevic. He spoke as head of an action tram set up to arrest the remaining war crimes fugitives. "No deadline" for Mladic arrest Vukcevic is also Serbia's war crimes prosecutor. His comments came as some media reported that Serbia was given until 2011 to arrest Mladic as one of the conditions for its EU accession bid. "I have not heard of any sort of deadline. I think it's out of place to set any deadlines, because that would imply we can do something, but won't, which is not true," said Vukcevic. Former military leader of Bosnian Serbs Mladic, and Hadzic, a former political leader of Croatian Serbs are suspected of genocide and war crimes respectively and are wanted by the UN war crimes court based in The Hague. Vukcevic also stated for Tanjug on Wednesday that investigation and condemnation of war crimes committed in the territory of former Yugoslavia are one of the most important issues in the process of regional reconciliation. "The Serbian citizens are now much more aware of the crimes committed in the false name of patriotism," Vukcevic stressed. He specified the case of Ovcara farm near Vukovar as the most monstrous of all crimes committed at the beginning of the war in Croatia, but also as an example of the society facing the fact that the Serb people also committed crimes. According to Vukcevic, the Serbian Prosecution is still investigating the crime in Ovcara, where a total of 260 people were murdered and about 200 victims have been identified so far. "This is the case which should pave the way for the reconciliation of Serbia and Croatia's judiciaries. All agreements and memorandums of cooperation basically date back the launching of the case," he stressed. "I believe that the citizens are now aware that Serbs, mainly the people who engaged in criminal activities even before the war, committed crimes allegedly in the name of patriotism, but actually for their own benefit," Vukcevic stated. The Appellate Court in Belgrade confirmed on September 14, 2010, the verdict of the War Crimes Chamber, whereby 13 members of the Vukovar Territorial Defense were convicted to a total of 180 years in prison for the murder of Croat civilians in October 1991 in Ovcara farm. Vladimir Vukcevic (Beta, file)

"No deadline" for Mladić arrest

Vukčević is also Serbia's war crimes prosecutor.

His comments came as some media reported that Serbia was given until 2011 to arrest Mladić as one of the conditions for its EU accession bid.

"I have not heard of any sort of deadline. I think it's out of place to set any deadlines, because that would imply we can do something, but won't, which is not true," said Vukčević.

Former military leader of Bosnian Serbs Mladić, and Hadžić, a former political leader of Croatian Serbs are suspected of genocide and war crimes respectively and are wanted by the UN war crimes court based in The Hague.

Vukčević also stated for Tanjug on Wednesday that investigation and condemnation of war crimes committed in the territory of former Yugoslavia are one of the most important issues in the process of regional reconciliation.

"The Serbian citizens are now much more aware of the crimes committed in the false name of patriotism," Vukčević stressed.

He specified the case of Ovčara farm near Vukovar as the most monstrous of all crimes committed at the beginning of the war in Croatia, but also as an example of the society facing the fact that the Serb people also committed crimes.

According to Vukčević, the Serbian Prosecution is still investigating the crime in Ovčara, where a total of 260 people were murdered and about 200 victims have been identified so far.

"This is the case which should pave the way for the reconciliation of Serbia and Croatia's judiciaries. All agreements and memorandums of cooperation basically date back the launching of the case," he stressed.

"I believe that the citizens are now aware that Serbs, mainly the people who engaged in criminal activities even before the war, committed crimes allegedly in the name of patriotism, but actually for their own benefit," Vukčević stated.

The Appellate Court in Belgrade confirmed on September 14, 2010, the verdict of the War Crimes Chamber, whereby 13 members of the Vukovar Territorial Defense were convicted to a total of 180 years in prison for the murder of Croat civilians in October 1991 in Ovčara farm.