Justice minister slams acquittal as mockery of justice

BELGRADE The acquittal of Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac was a mockery of justice, the victims, the whole Serbian people and international criminal law. This is according to Serbia's Minister of Justice Nikola Selakovic, who reacted to the Hague Tribunal (ICTY) verdict with a statement on Friday. Justice minister slams acquittal as mockery of justice "By completely reversing the verdict of the first-instance chamber, the ICTY Appeals Chamber has not only legalized monstrous crimes, but it has given an example of partial decision-making," Selakovic said in a written statement made available to Tanjug. Noting that Gotovina and Markac were the leaders of the biggest criminal enterprise Europe had seen since World War Two, Selakovic said the ruling was "obviously a result of political rather than legal actions." "At a time when Serbia is struggling to create an independent, objective and just judiciary, this decision from the ICTY cautions us that injustice is the most painful emotion, which in this case affects every rational person," said Selakovic. On April 15, 2011, generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac had been sentenced to 24 and 18 years, respectively, whereas general Ivan Cermak was acquitted of all charges. Gotovina was only found guilty on the third count of the indictment - that he was aware of the crimes and that he should have investigated the incidents, which he failed to do. Nearly 2,000 Serbs went missing, and around 220,000 were expelled during Operation Storm that was carried out by the Croatian armed forces in the territory of the former Republic of Serb Krajina. It was the final operation in the 1991-95 war, during which nearly 7,000 etnic Serbs went missing and 404,887 were expelled from Croatia, 141,887 of them from cities in which there were no armed conflicts. As a result, Serbs, a constitutive people who accounted for 16 percent of Croatia's pre-war population, were reduced to a national minority of under four percent. Nikola Selakovic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Justice minister slams acquittal as mockery of justice

"By completely reversing the verdict of the first-instance chamber, the ICTY Appeals Chamber has not only legalized monstrous crimes, but it has given an example of partial decision-making," Selaković said in a written statement made available to Tanjug.

Noting that Gotovina and Markač were the leaders of the biggest criminal enterprise Europe had seen since World War Two, Selaković said the ruling was "obviously a result of political rather than legal actions."

"At a time when Serbia is struggling to create an independent, objective and just judiciary, this decision from the ICTY cautions us that injustice is the most painful emotion, which in this case affects every rational person," said Selaković.

On April 15, 2011, generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač had been sentenced to 24 and 18 years, respectively, whereas general Ivan Čermak was acquitted of all charges.

Gotovina was only found guilty on the third count of the indictment - that he was aware of the crimes and that he should have investigated the incidents, which he failed to do.

Nearly 2,000 Serbs went missing, and around 220,000 were expelled during Operation Storm that was carried out by the Croatian armed forces in the territory of the former Republic of Serb Krajina.

It was the final operation in the 1991-95 war, during which nearly 7,000 etnic Serbs went missing and 404,887 were expelled from Croatia, 141,887 of them from cities in which there were no armed conflicts.

As a result, Serbs, a constitutive people who accounted for 16 percent of Croatia's pre-war population, were reduced to a national minority of under four percent.