Chief Hague prosecutor submits negative report

Serbia’s efforts to arrest Hague fugitives have not been sufficient, Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz said in his report, B92 has learned. B92 had an opportunity to see the report submitted to the UN Security Council and which will be discussed on June 6. Brammertz said that Serbia’s failure was undermining Belgrade authorities’ credibility and statements that they were prepared to fully cooperate with the Hague Tribunal. Chief Hague prosecutor submits negative report The chief prosecutor stressed that the criticism he had made in his December report was only partially taken into account and that the authorities were still following only a limited number of leads in their search for the Hague fugitives and were unable to expand the investigation. He is only satisfied with Belgrade’s cooperation regarding exchange of documents. “Serbia’s existing strategy for arrest of the fugitives is completely unsuccessful. Serbia needs to reconsider all steps that have been taken so far, to reconsider its strategy and the method it is applying in the strategy and to immediately fix all flaws. A new, significantly more rigorous approach in the search for the fugitives is urgently needed," the report said. "A more comprehensive investigation with the use of all available means is necessary. Serbia is requested to investigate the role of the helpers’ network. The fugitives are not going to be arrested without significant progress in this area of cooperation with the court and the Serbian government needs to turn its readiness expressed in words into concrete actions and visible results,” the Hague Tribunal chief prosecutor said, among other things, in his report. Serge Brammertz (FoNet)

Chief Hague prosecutor submits negative report

The chief prosecutor stressed that the criticism he had made in his December report was only partially taken into account and that the authorities were still following only a limited number of leads in their search for the Hague fugitives and were unable to expand the investigation.

He is only satisfied with Belgrade’s cooperation regarding exchange of documents.

“Serbia’s existing strategy for arrest of the fugitives is completely unsuccessful. Serbia needs to reconsider all steps that have been taken so far, to reconsider its strategy and the method it is applying in the strategy and to immediately fix all flaws. A new, significantly more rigorous approach in the search for the fugitives is urgently needed," the report said.

"A more comprehensive investigation with the use of all available means is necessary. Serbia is requested to investigate the role of the helpers’ network. The fugitives are not going to be arrested without significant progress in this area of cooperation with the court and the Serbian government needs to turn its readiness expressed in words into concrete actions and visible results,” the Hague Tribunal chief prosecutor said, among other things, in his report.