Minister rejects accusations against army chief

Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac has dismissed as false allegations of a Belgrade-based NGO that the new chief of the Serbian Army was "unfit for that office". Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic took over as chief of the general staff of the VS late last year. Minister rejects accusations against army chief The Humanitarian Law Center (FHP) this week sent a statement to the media along with files that purport to provide information about Dikovic's "war crimes committed against Albanian civilians". "We are completely calm about that fake dossier of the Humanitarian Law Center. Before Dikovic's appointment, his work was thoroughly checked, and yesterday and this morning we also run checks related to the dossier, which I claim is completely false," said Sutanovac. The minister now expects Dikovic to seek legal protection against the lies put forward about his person, and also such a move "will be a great test of democracy in Serbia, because if people can be smeared in this way, then anything goes in Serbia". "I think everything should not be allowed in Serbia and that everyone should be held responsible for what they say, write, or do," Sutanovac continued, describing the FHP documents as "not only inappropriate but at time also monstrous". He wondered why the story was launched "at a time when the army is enjoying greatest support from the citizens, and when internationally it is coming across positive sentiments that it has not enjoyed in a long time". "Is this not a continuation of that part of the story where the self-styled interior minister of Kosovo said that Gen. Dikovic 'arrived to the position of the VS chief of staff on weapons'?" wondered Sutanovac. The minister went on to say that other army chiefs worldwide also "arrive to that position 'on weapons' - and so did Dikovic". This type of office is not taken "on a broom", explained Sutanovac. The defense chief "now expected a serious debate to take place in the state institutions on this issue". According to him, "even a layman's insight into Dikovic's personal dossier shows he did not hold the positions he is being accused of, nor was he present in the locations the FHP mentioned". According to FHP President Natasa Kandic, Dikic - who served in Kosovo as officer of the Yugoslav Army (VS) during the war in 1999 - "did nothing to prevent a large number of crimes against civilians in the zone of his responsibility". Military analyst Aleksandar Radic on Tuesday noted that while Gen. Dikovic did fight in the war, "even the broadest interpretation of command responsibility cannot prevent him from carrying out his duties as chief of the general staff". Dragan Sutanovac (Beta) B92 Tanjug

Minister rejects accusations against army chief

The Humanitarian Law Center (FHP) this week sent a statement to the media along with files that purport to provide information about Diković's "war crimes committed against Albanian civilians".

"We are completely calm about that fake dossier of the Humanitarian Law Center. Before Diković's appointment, his work was thoroughly checked, and yesterday and this morning we also run checks related to the dossier, which I claim is completely false," said Šutanovac.

The minister now expects Diković to seek legal protection against the lies put forward about his person, and also such a move "will be a great test of democracy in Serbia, because if people can be smeared in this way, then anything goes in Serbia".

"I think everything should not be allowed in Serbia and that everyone should be held responsible for what they say, write, or do," Šutanovac continued, describing the FHP documents as "not only inappropriate but at time also monstrous".

He wondered why the story was launched "at a time when the army is enjoying greatest support from the citizens, and when internationally it is coming across positive sentiments that it has not enjoyed in a long time".

"Is this not a continuation of that part of the story where the self-styled interior minister of Kosovo said that Gen. Diković 'arrived to the position of the VS chief of staff on weapons'?" wondered Šutanovac.

The minister went on to say that other army chiefs worldwide also "arrive to that position 'on weapons' - and so did Diković".

This type of office is not taken "on a broom", explained Šutanovac.

The defense chief "now expected a serious debate to take place in the state institutions on this issue". According to him, "even a layman's insight into Diković's personal dossier shows he did not hold the positions he is being accused of, nor was he present in the locations the FHP mentioned".

According to FHP President Nataša Kandić, Dikić - who served in Kosovo as officer of the Yugoslav Army (VS) during the war in 1999 - "did nothing to prevent a large number of crimes against civilians in the zone of his responsibility".

Military analyst Aleksandar Radić on Tuesday noted that while Gen. Diković did fight in the war, "even the broadest interpretation of command responsibility cannot prevent him from carrying out his duties as chief of the general staff".