Analyst: Genocide lawsuits counterproductive

The genocide lawsuits between Serbia and Croatia are counterproductive and senseless, international law professor Radoslav Stojanovic said. He said that the two countries must work more on the process of reconciliation. Analyst: Genocide lawsuits counterproductive “They will have to do so before they enter the EU, and if not then, then when they become member-states,” Stojanovic told daily Danas. He also said that the crimes committed in Croatia are not comparable to the Srebrenica massacre and that there was no genocide committed. “I am against the filing of a countersuit, because I believe that there was no genocide on either side and I am convinced that the International Court of Justice will reject Croatia’s suit if Zagreb does not repeal it,” Stojanovic said. He said that it is realistic to believe that the Croatian suit will be pulled by Zagreb. He said that Croatian officials supported the dropping of these charges, but that it was necessary for the Croatian public opinion to be appeased. He said that an eventual agreement for pulling the suit should also be accompanied by an agreement for the continuation of reconciliation. He reminded that in the Bosnian suit, it was stated that ethnic cleansing does not qualify as genocide. “The crimes in Croatia are not of the same proportion as the crimes in Srebrenica. The largest crime was committed at the Ovcara farm, where 200 were killed, and according to the definition, the crime of genocide calls for the physical destruction of a substantial number of members of one ethnic group,” he said.

Analyst: Genocide lawsuits counterproductive

“They will have to do so before they enter the EU, and if not then, then when they become member-states,” Stojanović told daily Danas.

He also said that the crimes committed in Croatia are not comparable to the Srebrenica massacre and that there was no genocide committed.

“I am against the filing of a countersuit, because I believe that there was no genocide on either side and I am convinced that the International Court of Justice will reject Croatia’s suit if Zagreb does not repeal it,” Stojanović said.

He said that it is realistic to believe that the Croatian suit will be pulled by Zagreb.

He said that Croatian officials supported the dropping of these charges, but that it was necessary for the Croatian public opinion to be appeased.

He said that an eventual agreement for pulling the suit should also be accompanied by an agreement for the continuation of reconciliation.

He reminded that in the Bosnian suit, it was stated that ethnic cleansing does not qualify as genocide.

“The crimes in Croatia are not of the same proportion as the crimes in Srebrenica. The largest crime was committed at the Ovčara farm, where 200 were killed, and according to the definition, the crime of genocide calls for the physical destruction of a substantial number of members of one ethnic group,” he said.