Croatia responds to Serbia's counter-suit

Croatia has filed a written response to Serbia's counter-suit to Croatia's lawsuit for alleged aggression and genocide to the International Court of Justice. “Croatia's brief was presented to ICJ in complete media silence on December 20, the last day of the deadline set by the court,” Director of the Veritas Documentation Center Savo Strbac said. Croatia responds to Serbia's counter-suit Strbac, who is an expert in Serbia's legal team, says the content of the document will remain confidential until the ICJ starts its debate. On December 20, Tanjug could not get confirmation of reception of Croatia's brief from the ICJ Secretariat. “Any information on written documents, including the date of their presentation, remain confidential until the court starts its debate, and only the party which presented a document can decide whether it can be made public,” ICJ Secretary Andrei Poskakukin said. According to Strbac, Serbia's legal team has received five volumes of Croatia's documents, some of which deny charges from Serbia's counter-suit and others support the arguments in Croatia's lawsuit. Serbia has a deadline until November 4, 2011 to present a written response to Croatia's latest brief, and the debate is expected to start in the beginning of 2013. The International Court of Justice (FoNet) “Out-of-court settlement still possible” “Croatia’s response to Serbia’s counter-suit before the International Court of Justice in The Hague is not ruling out an out-of-court settlement,” Serbia’s legal team coordinator Sasa Obradovic told B92. He explained that Croatia’s brief represented a part of a standard legal procedure and that Serbia had enough time to respond to it. Obradovic has announced that Serbia will, upon studying Croatia’s response, submit its own brief to the ICJ. According to him, Croatia’s latest move will not necessarily jeopardize the two countries’ efforts to withdraw the law suits. “We now have enough time to study Croatia’s legal brief, to change the structure of our own brief and to submit it in a timely manner,” he stressed. Obradovic points out, however, that other options are possible as well. “It can come to an out-of-court settlement, this move is not ruling it out,” he stated. “Both countries are obliged to respect court decisions and to provide legal answers until such settlement or withdrawal happen,” the Serbian legal team coordinator explained. Sasa Obradovic (FoNet, file)

Croatia responds to Serbia's counter-suit

Štrbac, who is an expert in Serbia's legal team, says the content of the document will remain confidential until the ICJ starts its debate.

On December 20, Tanjug could not get confirmation of reception of Croatia's brief from the ICJ Secretariat.

“Any information on written documents, including the date of their presentation, remain confidential until the court starts its debate, and only the party which presented a document can decide whether it can be made public,” ICJ Secretary Andrei Poskakukin said.

According to Štrbac, Serbia's legal team has received five volumes of Croatia's documents, some of which deny charges from Serbia's counter-suit and others support the arguments in Croatia's lawsuit.

Serbia has a deadline until November 4, 2011 to present a written response to Croatia's latest brief, and the debate is expected to start in the beginning of 2013.

“Out-of-court settlement still possible”

“Croatia’s response to Serbia’s counter-suit before the International Court of Justice in The Hague is not ruling out an out-of-court settlement,” Serbia’s legal team coordinator Saša Obradović told B92.

He explained that Croatia’s brief represented a part of a standard legal procedure and that Serbia had enough time to respond to it.

Obradović has announced that Serbia will, upon studying Croatia’s response, submit its own brief to the ICJ. According to him, Croatia’s latest move will not necessarily jeopardize the two countries’ efforts to withdraw the law suits.

“We now have enough time to study Croatia’s legal brief, to change the structure of our own brief and to submit it in a timely manner,” he stressed.

Obradović points out, however, that other options are possible as well.

“It can come to an out-of-court settlement, this move is not ruling it out,” he stated.

“Both countries are obliged to respect court decisions and to provide legal answers until such settlement or withdrawal happen,” the Serbian legal team coordinator explained.