Former Pres. Milutinović returns to Serbia

Milan Milutinovic returned to Serbia on Friday evening via a regular Jat Airways flight from the Netherlands. The Hague Tribunal on Thursday acquitted the former Serbian president of all charges for war crimes against Kosovo Albanians in 1999. Former Pres. Milutinovic returns to Serbia For the same charge, former Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic and Generals Nebojsa Pavkovic and Sreten Lukic were sentenced to 22 years in prison yesterday, while Generals Dragoljub Ojdanic and Vladimir Lazarevic were sentenced to 15 years. A news conference announced ahead of Milutinovic's arrival was canceled at Nikola Tesla airport in Belgrade this evening. The former president briefly addressed a throng of reporters and cameramen to say that he is grateful to all who believed in his innocence, that he is tired, but also pleased to have been cleared of the charges against him. "I am satisfied that I have returned to my Serbia and my Belgrade," were his first words to the journalists gathered at the airport. Milutinovic would not comment on the verdicts handed down to the five other Yugoslav and Serbian officials found guilty by the Hague judges on Thursday. The judgment against the six former Serbian officials for crimes in Kosovo is largely seen by current Serbian and foreign officials as the result of a political process, reports said earlier in the day. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic has said that the sentences are excessive given the charges, adding that despite principled disagreement, Serbia supports the Hague’s work, though he expects appeals to be lodged. “Regardless of the disagreements, we principally support the Hague Tribunal and believe every individual and criminal has his own first and last name,” said Cvetkovic. Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, who is also leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SRS), some of whose members were on trial, believes the ruling has been part of a political process from the outset, and that that process served to legitimize opinions, which was why Yugoslavia was bombed. President of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Rasim Ljajic believes the sentence will increase anti-Hague sentiment in Serbia. Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu said that he had always had confidence in the decisions of the Hague Tribunal. After a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he emphasized that politicians who had led the state had been responsible for the crimes committed in the last few years. “Every court case must be analyzed in the best possible way. Horrendous crimes against humanity were perpetrated in Kosovo, Bosnia and Croatia. Those murders and crimes were committed by people who spearheaded politics at that time. We call that premeditated murder. Of course, there are people who led political genocide against our country, but there are also those who were involved in the crimes committed,” said Sejdiu. Milutinovic in Belgrade on Friday evening (Beta)

Former Pres. Milutinović returns to Serbia

For the same charge, former Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Šainović and Generals Nebojša Pavković and Sreten Lukić were sentenced to 22 years in prison yesterday, while Generals Dragoljub Ojdanić and Vladimir Lazarević were sentenced to 15 years.

A news conference announced ahead of Milutinović's arrival was canceled at Nikola Tesla airport in Belgrade this evening.

The former president briefly addressed a throng of reporters and cameramen to say that he is grateful to all who believed in his innocence, that he is tired, but also pleased to have been cleared of the charges against him.

"I am satisfied that I have returned to my Serbia and my Belgrade," were his first words to the journalists gathered at the airport.

Milutinović would not comment on the verdicts handed down to the five other Yugoslav and Serbian officials found guilty by the Hague judges on Thursday.

The judgment against the six former Serbian officials for crimes in Kosovo is largely seen by current Serbian and foreign officials as the result of a political process, reports said earlier in the day.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković has said that the sentences are excessive given the charges, adding that despite principled disagreement, Serbia supports the Hague’s work, though he expects appeals to be lodged.

“Regardless of the disagreements, we principally support the Hague Tribunal and believe every individual and criminal has his own first and last name,” said Cvetković.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, who is also leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SRS), some of whose members were on trial, believes the ruling has been part of a political process from the outset, and that that process served to legitimize opinions, which was why Yugoslavia was bombed.

President of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Rasim Ljajić believes the sentence will increase anti-Hague sentiment in Serbia.

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu said that he had always had confidence in the decisions of the Hague Tribunal. After a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he emphasized that politicians who had led the state had been responsible for the crimes committed in the last few years.

“Every court case must be analyzed in the best possible way. Horrendous crimes against humanity were perpetrated in Kosovo, Bosnia and Croatia. Those murders and crimes were committed by people who spearheaded politics at that time. We call that premeditated murder. Of course, there are people who led political genocide against our country, but there are also those who were involved in the crimes committed,” said Sejdiu.