Opposition official: War crimes suspect was "good soldier"

The truth about Srebrenica "has not yet been investigated" - but General Ratko Mladic is a tragic figure who was a good Serb soldier, says Jorgovanka Tabakovic. This high ranking official of the opposition SNS party took part in a B92 TV talk show late on Sunday to add that Mladic was "an honest Serb soldier" and by that virtue also "a hero": Opposition official: War crimes suspect was "good soldier" "When they determine and prove that he is a criminal, and someone convinces me of this, I will perhaps change my mind." The former military leader of Serbs in Bosnia was arrested and extradited to the Hague Tribunal last year where he is currently on trial charged with war crimes and genocide. Reacting to this, ruling democratic Party (DS) official Bozidar Djelic, who was also a guest in the same program, said that "Ratko Mladic and Zoran Djindjic are not the same": "Zoran Djindjic was a leader who paved the way to a modern, European, democratic Serbia and I will never allow for him to be compared to those who have been accused, we'll see if it's proven in the Hague. These things are not the same, we have very clear positions and the citizens know that despite the difficulties we will lead this country in a stable and predictable manner." Tabakovic rejected accusations that the Serb Progressives (SNS) - formed in 2008 as an offshoot of the Serb Radicals (SRS) - had betrayed SRS leader Vojislav Seselj, and wondered "how it's possible to betray someone who expelled you from the party". The remark about "the betrayal of Seselj" at the hands of the SNS was made last week by Vuk Jeremic - another DS official and foreign minister in the current government. Jeremic also commented on several occasions on SNS leader Tomislav Nikolic's remark that he did not consider as binding the agreements reached in the Kosovo dialogue. Bozidar Djelic addressed this point last evening to say that "people from Europe" had been calling him to ask "if it was possible that the leader of the opposition would go back on everything that has been achieved in the dialogue with Pristina". The former deputy prime minister also said that "if we wish to join the EU, we must continue with the implementation (of agreements)", and accused the SNS of "dealing a blow to our country's credibility". "But we cannot hand over the future of our country and children to such unsafe hands. Due to their national (sic) past their activities will be monitored. What is said in Kosovska Mitrovica and Berlin is not the same. We do not know what Tomislav Nikolic will say tomorrow. It is very important to have people who are true statesmen who do not change their mind. Pressure was exerted on (Boris) Tadic, he told everyone about it. It is no coincidence that he received a prestigious award of the Council of Europe, I think we have a statesman on the one side, and an unstable personality that even goes on hunger strikes on the other," said Djelic. Tabakovic reacted by saying that Nikolic's statement made in Kosovska Mitrovica last week was "not reported in its entirety", and was therefore misunderstood: "He said that he will not respect anything that is damaging to Serbia, and contrary to the Constitution." But Djelic continued his praise of DS party leader and presidential candidate Tadic, who earlier this month resigned as the country's president in order to force early elections. "When (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel was here I saw it myself how Tadic defended each millimeter of our country. True patriots must be strong, rather than go on strikes. We have two serious candidates, Tadic, with a proven track record, who defends the interests of Serbs, and on the other hand Toma (Tomislav) who essentially changes his position, who was against the EU before but is now saying that we should continue on the road toward the EU. Politics is a serious matter, the citizens must make an important decision about who is capable of running the country in the years to come," stated Djelic. "At this time, I am not a candidate to become the next prime minister," Tabakovic revealed during the talk show, while Djelic asserted that the SNS was in fact offering that position to SPS party leader Ivica Dacic. As the conversation between the two party officials moved to mutual accusations, Tabakovic said that Djelic was guilty of "trading in information that he had on the price of Serbia's foreign debt to the London Club", thus acquiring illegal gains for himself. Djelic rejected this and said he would "seek explanation for the accusations" and Tabakovic's responsibility in a court of law. The DS official then proceeded to claim that Tabakovic, as a manager of Telekom Srbija, was "given the ownership of an apartment in Belgrade free of charge". The SNS official responded by saying that she and her three children lived in the same apartment for the past 12 years, but that she did not own it. Jorgovanka Tabakovic (file) B92 Tanjug

Opposition official: War crimes suspect was "good soldier"

"When they determine and prove that he is a criminal, and someone convinces me of this, I will perhaps change my mind."

The former military leader of Serbs in Bosnia was arrested and extradited to the Hague Tribunal last year where he is currently on trial charged with war crimes and genocide.

Reacting to this, ruling democratic Party (DS) official Božidar Đelić, who was also a guest in the same program, said that "Ratko Mladić and Zoran Đinđić are not the same":

"Zoran Đinđić was a leader who paved the way to a modern, European, democratic Serbia and I will never allow for him to be compared to those who have been accused, we'll see if it's proven in the Hague. These things are not the same, we have very clear positions and the citizens know that despite the difficulties we will lead this country in a stable and predictable manner."

Tabaković rejected accusations that the Serb Progressives (SNS) - formed in 2008 as an offshoot of the Serb Radicals (SRS) - had betrayed SRS leader Vojislav Šešelj, and wondered "how it's possible to betray someone who expelled you from the party".

The remark about "the betrayal of Šešelj" at the hands of the SNS was made last week by Vuk Jeremić - another DS official and foreign minister in the current government. Jeremić also commented on several occasions on SNS leader Tomislav Nikolić's remark that he did not consider as binding the agreements reached in the Kosovo dialogue.

Božidar Đelić addressed this point last evening to say that "people from Europe" had been calling him to ask "if it was possible that the leader of the opposition would go back on everything that has been achieved in the dialogue with Priština".

The former deputy prime minister also said that "if we wish to join the EU, we must continue with the implementation (of agreements)", and accused the SNS of "dealing a blow to our country's credibility".

"But we cannot hand over the future of our country and children to such unsafe hands. Due to their national (sic) past their activities will be monitored. What is said in Kosovska Mitrovica and Berlin is not the same. We do not know what Tomislav Nikolić will say tomorrow. It is very important to have people who are true statesmen who do not change their mind. Pressure was exerted on (Boris) Tadić, he told everyone about it. It is no coincidence that he received a prestigious award of the Council of Europe, I think we have a statesman on the one side, and an unstable personality that even goes on hunger strikes on the other," said Đelić.

Tabaković reacted by saying that Nikolić's statement made in Kosovska Mitrovica last week was "not reported in its entirety", and was therefore misunderstood:

"He said that he will not respect anything that is damaging to Serbia, and contrary to the Constitution."

But Đelić continued his praise of DS party leader and presidential candidate Tadić, who earlier this month resigned as the country's president in order to force early elections.

"When (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel was here I saw it myself how Tadić defended each millimeter of our country. True patriots must be strong, rather than go on strikes. We have two serious candidates, Tadić, with a proven track record, who defends the interests of Serbs, and on the other hand Toma (Tomislav) who essentially changes his position, who was against the EU before but is now saying that we should continue on the road toward the EU. Politics is a serious matter, the citizens must make an important decision about who is capable of running the country in the years to come," stated Đelić.

"At this time, I am not a candidate to become the next prime minister," Tabaković revealed during the talk show, while Đelić asserted that the SNS was in fact offering that position to SPS party leader Ivica Dačić.

As the conversation between the two party officials moved to mutual accusations, Tabaković said that Đelić was guilty of "trading in information that he had on the price of Serbia's foreign debt to the London Club", thus acquiring illegal gains for himself.

Đelić rejected this and said he would "seek explanation for the accusations" and Tabaković's responsibility in a court of law.

The DS official then proceeded to claim that Tabaković, as a manager of Telekom Srbija, was "given the ownership of an apartment in Belgrade free of charge".

The SNS official responded by saying that she and her three children lived in the same apartment for the past 12 years, but that she did not own it.