Patriarch: Nothing more to say about Hague

BELGRADE Instead of commenting on the acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj, Serbian Patriarch Irinej said Thursday he had said everything about The Hague in his recent sermon. The former commander of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was on Thursday acquitted on all counts of the indictment for crimes against Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo. Patriarch: Nothing more to say about Hague "Everything I had to say about The Hague Tribunal was in that sermon," the patriarch stressed. Irinej held a memorial service for the Serb victims of the wars in the 1990s at the Cathedral Church in Belgrade on Sunday, following the acquittal of Croat Generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac before the Hague Tribunal and said that the Tribunal showed that it was a political court devoid of the basic legal and ethical norms. According to him, the Hague Tribunal compromised law and justice with this decision and confirmed that it was not based on legal norms but on the interests of the powers of this world and age. He also said on the occasion that the Hague Tribunal covered up crimes against Serbs, and that it seemed "as if the Serbs committed the crimes against themselves." "We ask the unfair judges who is guilty," the patriarch said at the time. Irinej pointed out that, after the acquittal, the Hague Tribunal could hardly keep the title of an honorable court or the attribute “international”. "In such a situation, where several powerful countries are ruling, Serbs should turn to themselves, their religion, philanthropy and patriotism. Our strength lies in harmony and unity. Let us return to spiritual values that have been guiding our spirituality and history," he concluded. Patriarch Irinej (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Patriarch: Nothing more to say about Hague

"Everything I had to say about The Hague Tribunal was in that sermon," the patriarch stressed.

Irinej held a memorial service for the Serb victims of the wars in the 1990s at the Cathedral Church in Belgrade on Sunday, following the acquittal of Croat Generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač before the Hague Tribunal and said that the Tribunal showed that it was a political court devoid of the basic legal and ethical norms.

According to him, the Hague Tribunal compromised law and justice with this decision and confirmed that it was not based on legal norms but on the interests of the powers of this world and age.

He also said on the occasion that the Hague Tribunal covered up crimes against Serbs, and that it seemed "as if the Serbs committed the crimes against themselves."

"We ask the unfair judges who is guilty," the patriarch said at the time.

Irinej pointed out that, after the acquittal, the Hague Tribunal could hardly keep the title of an honorable court or the attribute “international”.

"In such a situation, where several powerful countries are ruling, Serbs should turn to themselves, their religion, philanthropy and patriotism. Our strength lies in harmony and unity. Let us return to spiritual values that have been guiding our spirituality and history," he concluded.