SNS party leader says he'd extradite Mladić

Opposition SNS party leader Tomislav Nikolic says that "no gathering can influence the extradition of Hague indictee Ratko Mladic". Speaking during a B92 TV talk show late on Sunday, he also appealed for calm. SNS party leader says he'd extradite Mladic "I did not take part in the organization of the rally and therefore I take no responsibility," said he. Nikolic said that the Serb Radical Party's protest gathering on Sunday in Belgrade would change nothing regarding Mladic's extradition. According to him, Mladic is not a man on whom Serbia's fate depended, but rather a regular officer, a citizen, who had control of his own life, and added he would have been extradited had SNS been in power, because this is Serbia's obligation. "Nothing depended on him, on his surrender. Serbia lived for 16 years with him not arrested, but did not become the world's poorest country because of that, but because it has bad a government," Nikolic continued. He stressed that SNS's position after the arrest of Mladic was that this was Serbia's obligation, that should have been done without celebrations, in line not only with international but also domestic law. "Do not doubt it that Serbian would have fulfilled its obligations even if SNS were in power. There wouldn't have been a more difficult job for me, but the extradition to the Hague would have had to be organized," according to him. Nikolic said that it was not Mladic who jeopardized Serbia's European perspective, but the "one who did not wish to arrest him all this time". He criticized the manner in which the arrest was carried out and expressed his doubt that Mladic was staying with his relatives in the village of Lazarevo. Nikolic believes that Mladic's whereabouts were known for a long time, described the arrest as farcical, and stressed he would request the issue to be investigated. "I feel indescribable sadness, because somebody is on purpose making fun of me as a citizen, as a Serb. There will have to be proof about how the arrest took place. We will demand the truth from the services." Mladic hid for 16 and was arrested a step away from his deathbed, continued Nikolic. "Why was he not arrested when he was in full strength? Mladic is not to blame for not being arrested, and Serbia is paying for it, Boris Tadic is to blame". Nikolic also noted that "those who were trying to prove to Serbia that Mladic is a war criminal, didn't quite succeed". The SNS leader is convinced that the authorities know the location of the remaining Hague fugitive Goran Hadzic. Nikolic also said he was prepared to visit Mladic in detention, "if he were to invite me". Tomislav Nikolic (Beta, file)

SNS party leader says he'd extradite Mladić

"I did not take part in the organization of the rally and therefore I take no responsibility," said he.

Nikolić said that the Serb Radical Party's protest gathering on Sunday in Belgrade would change nothing regarding Mladić's extradition.

According to him, Mladić is not a man on whom Serbia's fate depended, but rather a regular officer, a citizen, who had control of his own life, and added he would have been extradited had SNS been in power, because this is Serbia's obligation.

"Nothing depended on him, on his surrender. Serbia lived for 16 years with him not arrested, but did not become the world's poorest country because of that, but because it has bad a government," Nikolić continued.

He stressed that SNS's position after the arrest of Mladić was that this was Serbia's obligation, that should have been done without celebrations, in line not only with international but also domestic law.

"Do not doubt it that Serbian would have fulfilled its obligations even if SNS were in power. There wouldn't have been a more difficult job for me, but the extradition to the Hague would have had to be organized," according to him.

Nikolić said that it was not Mladić who jeopardized Serbia's European perspective, but the "one who did not wish to arrest him all this time".

He criticized the manner in which the arrest was carried out and expressed his doubt that Mladić was staying with his relatives in the village of Lazarevo.

Nikolić believes that Mladić's whereabouts were known for a long time, described the arrest as farcical, and stressed he would request the issue to be investigated.

"I feel indescribable sadness, because somebody is on purpose making fun of me as a citizen, as a Serb. There will have to be proof about how the arrest took place. We will demand the truth from the services."

Mladić hid for 16 and was arrested a step away from his deathbed, continued Nikolić. "Why was he not arrested when he was in full strength? Mladić is not to blame for not being arrested, and Serbia is paying for it, Boris Tadić is to blame".

Nikolić also noted that "those who were trying to prove to Serbia that Mladić is a war criminal, didn't quite succeed".

The SNS leader is convinced that the authorities know the location of the remaining Hague fugitive Goran Hadžić. Nikolić also said he was prepared to visit Mladić in detention, "if he were to invite me".