War crimes prosecutor: Hague is intriguing topic

Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic stated that the topic of the Hague Tribunal legacy was “very intriguing.“ “Here is the meeting of representatives from the whole region, it’s very temperamental. It is designed so the panelists, those were Judge Patrick Robinson, Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz and several others now, are directly answering questions. The questions are quite provocative, atmosphere in the hall is overheated, there are many a lot interruptions,” he said. War crimes prosecutor: Hague is intriguing topic The Serbian prosecutor made his comments while attending a conference on the legacy of the Hague Tribunal in The Hague, with the court 's officials and international experts participating. He stated that Serbs, Bosniaks (Muslims) and Croats were at the conference, as well as the relatives of the victims, so that it all “contributed to an atmosphere that was a tad overheated”. The Serbian deputy prosecutor, and spokesman for the prosecution Bruno Vekaric are also taking part in the conference. The participants will during several discussions consider “strategy” and “long-term preservation of legacy” of the Tribunal through “archives and an information center” as well as “the importance of the legacy for the victims and communities in the former Yugoslavia”. The topics will also include war crime trials before national courts, development of capacities of national judiciaries for those trials, and the future of the Hague Tribunal’s legacy. Justice Minister Snezana Malovic, President of the Supreme Court of Serbia Nata Mesarovic and President of the War Crimes Court Sinisa Vazic are also attending the conference. Director of the Humanitarian Law Fund NGO Natasa Kandic and defense council before the Tribunal Tomislav Visnjic have spoken during the yesterday's debates. Representatives of the judiciaries and governments of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the host country the Netherlands, and numerous non-governmental and international organizations such as OSCE and UN are all taking part. Brammertz on arrests of fugitives Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz warned that if the remaining two fugitives stayed at large it would have a negative effect on the court’s legacy. Brammertz said that the Hague Tribunal’s prosecution would contribute to the legacy by “completing the current proceedings” but also by ensuring that the fugitives, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, were arrested. “If it does not happen, it would have a negative influence on the Tribunal’s legacy,“ he said. The chief prosecutor stressed that “the Tribunal’s success would ultimately depend on how national judiciaries continue our work“ in the region of the former Yugoslavia. “We have full confidence in the presidents of the courts and prosecutors in the region. I absolutely believe in their commitment to solve problems and change awareness,“ he pointed out. Brammerts specified that the Hague Tribunal Prosecution had in the past two years submitted investigative material about 43 persons, against whom indictments had not been raised in The Hague, to national judiciaries. As an obstacle for cooperation of judiciaries in the region, the chief prosecutor mentioned the inability to extradite the accused, adding that harassment and protection of witnesses was still an open issue. The Hague Prosecution, however, he pointed out, does not act as have the role of controling national judiciary systems. Robinson: Karadzic’s trial until 2014 President of the Hague Tribunal Patrick Robinson said at the same gathering that he expects that the trial of Radovan Karadzic, as the last before the Tribunal, will be finished in February 2014. Robinson, however, said that the appeal phase of the accused’s trial, in his opinion, should be completed in February 2014. “The UN Security Council should extend the mandate of the Tribunal judges until 2011 in March,“ he said. Asked about compensation to the victims of war crimes, the Hague Tribunal president said that he was a great supporter of payment of compensation and that he had launched the issue three times before the Security Council and the UN General Assembly. “I haven’t received a favorable answer so far, I hope that is only because of the economic crisis,“ he said and stressed that he was also advocating the forming of a commissions for determining the truth in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

War crimes prosecutor: Hague is intriguing topic

The Serbian prosecutor made his comments while attending a conference on the legacy of the Hague Tribunal in The Hague, with the court 's officials and international experts participating.

He stated that Serbs, Bosniaks (Muslims) and Croats were at the conference, as well as the relatives of the victims, so that it all “contributed to an atmosphere that was a tad overheated”.

The Serbian deputy prosecutor, and spokesman for the prosecution Bruno Vekarić are also taking part in the conference.

The participants will during several discussions consider “strategy” and “long-term preservation of legacy” of the Tribunal through “archives and an information center” as well as “the importance of the legacy for the victims and communities in the former Yugoslavia”.

The topics will also include war crime trials before national courts, development of capacities of national judiciaries for those trials, and the future of the Hague Tribunal’s legacy.

Justice Minister Snežana Malović, President of the Supreme Court of Serbia Nata Mesarović and President of the War Crimes Court Siniša Važić are also attending the conference.

Director of the Humanitarian Law Fund NGO Nataša Kandić and defense council before the Tribunal Tomislav Višnjić have spoken during the yesterday's debates.

Representatives of the judiciaries and governments of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the host country the Netherlands, and numerous non-governmental and international organizations such as OSCE and UN are all taking part.

Brammertz on arrests of fugitives

Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz warned that if the remaining two fugitives stayed at large it would have a negative effect on the court’s legacy.

Brammertz said that the Hague Tribunal’s prosecution would contribute to the legacy by “completing the current proceedings” but also by ensuring that the fugitives, Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić, were arrested.

“If it does not happen, it would have a negative influence on the Tribunal’s legacy,“ he said.

The chief prosecutor stressed that “the Tribunal’s success would ultimately depend on how national judiciaries continue our work“ in the region of the former Yugoslavia.

“We have full confidence in the presidents of the courts and prosecutors in the region. I absolutely believe in their commitment to solve problems and change awareness,“ he pointed out.

Brammerts specified that the Hague Tribunal Prosecution had in the past two years submitted investigative material about 43 persons, against whom indictments had not been raised in The Hague, to national judiciaries.

As an obstacle for cooperation of judiciaries in the region, the chief prosecutor mentioned the inability to extradite the accused, adding that harassment and protection of witnesses was still an open issue.

The Hague Prosecution, however, he pointed out, does not act as have the role of controling national judiciary systems.

Robinson: Karadžić’s trial until 2014

President of the Hague Tribunal Patrick Robinson said at the same gathering that he expects that the trial of Radovan Karadžić, as the last before the Tribunal, will be finished in February 2014.

Robinson, however, said that the appeal phase of the accused’s trial, in his opinion, should be completed in February 2014.

“The UN Security Council should extend the mandate of the Tribunal judges until 2011 in March,“ he said.

Asked about compensation to the victims of war crimes, the Hague Tribunal president said that he was a great supporter of payment of compensation and that he had launched the issue three times before the Security Council and the UN General Assembly.

“I haven’t received a favorable answer so far, I hope that is only because of the economic crisis,“ he said and stressed that he was also advocating the forming of a commissions for determining the truth in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.