Prosecutor: Fugitives believed to be in Serbia

Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz is in Belgrade this Monday as he prepares to submit his regular report to the UN General Council. The report will assess Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. Prosecutor: Fugitives believed to be in Serbia The two remaining Hague fugitives Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic are believed to be in Serbia, although the search is not focused solely on Serbia, Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz told journalists in Belgrade on Monday. There is no deadline for their arrest, since it would mean that the people who are looking for them are believed to know their whereabouts, the prosecutor remarked. The apprehension of the two remains the top priority for the Hague when it comes to Serbia's cooperation with the tribunal, he stated, but added that there had been improvements in many of the aspects of that cooperation. Brammertz told a news conference his previous six-month report to the UN Security Council pointed out certain drawbacks in the investigation, but added that the authorities began correcting them. There have been improvements in Serbia's cooperation with the Hague since 2008, but the goal has not been reached yet, the prosecutor said. The goal of the Monday meetings is to see why the two have not been arrested yet and who is helping them, he explained. He refused to comment on statements by Serbian politicians, who say that the country is doing everything to find and arrest the two. Brammertz's main interest, as he put it, lies in the actual activities concerning the search. The prosecutor is satisfied with the cooperation with the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague and the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor. Brammertz is set to meet with the teams in charge of arresting the two fugitives. The meeting will be held in Belgrade on Monday, he stated, and will affect his regular six-month report to the UN Security Council regarding Serbia's cooperation. Brammertz also stated on Monday that it is certain that Hague fugitive Ratko Mladic is not hiding on his own, and added that the investigation is primarily focused on his helpers. The main hypothesis of our investigation is that the solution for the arrest of Mladic is in Belgrade, and the operative action is not limited to Serbia, said Brammertz. He also said that the working thesis of his team is that Mladic is hiding in Serbia. "There must be good reasons for Mladic's so far successful hiding," Brammertz stated and added that the fugitive is a professional who knows the best way to hide himself and take counter-action. "It is clear that Mladic is not alone in this and that he has support of other individuals, and these persons are in the focus of the investigation," Brammertz said at a press conference in Belgrade. He added that it is important to prosecute those who support Hague fugitives, because it would show the public that all such persons are taking on a risk of suffering draconian penalties. Brammertz will meet with President Boris Tadic, and has already conferred with PM Mirko Cvetkovic, President of the National Council for Hague Cooperation Rasim Ljajic and Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic. Serbian Deputy War Crimes Prosecutor Bruno Vekaric told B92 ahead of the visit today that the main topic of conversations he will have with Serbian officials will be the two fugitive Hague indictees. "Actions that have been carried out thus far will be analyzed, some problems will be discussed and future solutions promised," said Vekaric, and added that the agenda of the visit showed its importance, considering that Brammertz would be received by top state justice officials. Asked whether there were new details that Brammertz would learn when it comes to the arrest of Ratko Mladic. Vekaric said there were "many", but that the work of the services who are looking for fugitives was not public, and that he himself was not informed about "all those actions". Ahead of the visit, however, analysts said the prosecutor would not learn important new facts. Journalist Ljiljana Smajlovic says that the next report submitted by Brammertz will be more important that the one being currently prepared. The next report will be closer to the day when the European Commission will decide whether to propose that Serbia be granted EU membership candidate status, she explained. "This is something without which the authorities cannot go to elections," said Smajlovic. The EU is conditioning Serbia's bid to join the organization with finalizing the Hague cooperation, after it recently accepted to consider Serbia's application to become candidate. The authorities have increased money rewards for information that would lead to arrests of fugitives tenfold, while the public saw a raid related to the arrests recently after a long time. Serge Brammertz (Beta, file)

Prosecutor: Fugitives believed to be in Serbia

The two remaining Hague fugitives Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić are believed to be in Serbia, although the search is not focused solely on Serbia, Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz told journalists in Belgrade on Monday.

There is no deadline for their arrest, since it would mean that the people who are looking for them are believed to know their whereabouts, the prosecutor remarked.

The apprehension of the two remains the top priority for the Hague when it comes to Serbia's cooperation with the tribunal, he stated, but added that there had been improvements in many of the aspects of that cooperation.

Brammertz told a news conference his previous six-month report to the UN Security Council pointed out certain drawbacks in the investigation, but added that the authorities began correcting them.

There have been improvements in Serbia's cooperation with the Hague since 2008, but the goal has not been reached yet, the prosecutor said.

The goal of the Monday meetings is to see why the two have not been arrested yet and who is helping them, he explained. He refused to comment on statements by Serbian politicians, who say that the country is doing everything to find and arrest the two. Brammertz's main interest, as he put it, lies in the actual activities concerning the search.

The prosecutor is satisfied with the cooperation with the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague and the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor.

Brammertz is set to meet with the teams in charge of arresting the two fugitives. The meeting will be held in Belgrade on Monday, he stated, and will affect his regular six-month report to the UN Security Council regarding Serbia's cooperation.

Brammertz also stated on Monday that it is certain that Hague fugitive Ratko Mladić is not hiding on his own, and added that the investigation is primarily focused on his helpers.

The main hypothesis of our investigation is that the solution for the arrest of Mladić is in Belgrade, and the operative action is not limited to Serbia, said Brammertz.

He also said that the working thesis of his team is that Mladić is hiding in Serbia.

"There must be good reasons for Mladić's so far successful hiding," Brammertz stated and added that the fugitive is a professional who knows the best way to hide himself and take counter-action.

"It is clear that Mladić is not alone in this and that he has support of other individuals, and these persons are in the focus of the investigation," Brammertz said at a press conference in Belgrade.

He added that it is important to prosecute those who support Hague fugitives, because it would show the public that all such persons are taking on a risk of suffering draconian penalties.

Brammertz will meet with President Boris Tadić, and has already conferred with PM Mirko Cvetković, President of the National Council for Hague Cooperation Rasim Ljajić and Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević.

Serbian Deputy War Crimes Prosecutor Bruno Vekarić told B92 ahead of the visit today that the main topic of conversations he will have with Serbian officials will be the two fugitive Hague indictees.

"Actions that have been carried out thus far will be analyzed, some problems will be discussed and future solutions promised," said Vekarić, and added that the agenda of the visit showed its importance, considering that Brammertz would be received by top state justice officials.

Asked whether there were new details that Brammertz would learn when it comes to the arrest of Ratko Mladić. Vekarić said there were "many", but that the work of the services who are looking for fugitives was not public, and that he himself was not informed about "all those actions".

Ahead of the visit, however, analysts said the prosecutor would not learn important new facts.

Journalist Ljiljana Smajlović says that the next report submitted by Brammertz will be more important that the one being currently prepared. The next report will be closer to the day when the European Commission will decide whether to propose that Serbia be granted EU membership candidate status, she explained.

"This is something without which the authorities cannot go to elections," said Smajlović.

The EU is conditioning Serbia's bid to join the organization with finalizing the Hague cooperation, after it recently accepted to consider Serbia's application to become candidate.

The authorities have increased money rewards for information that would lead to arrests of fugitives tenfold, while the public saw a raid related to the arrests recently after a long time.