European Forum

Croatia adopts law to ignore Serb war-crime rulings

On Friday the 21st of October, the Croatian parliament decided to ignore all Serbian rulings connected to war-crimes committed by Croats in the 1990’s conflict. It adopted a law that proclaims as “null and void all legal acts” related to the 1991-1995 war, in which Croatian nationals are “suspected, indicted or sentenced” for war crimes and stops all war crime investigations currently underway in Croatia by Serbian judicial bodies. Croatia's President Ivo Josipović has announced he will seek to have the controversial bill declared unconstitutional.

The law was backed by just 75 of the 151 parliamentary deputies, but with only the required minimum of 77 seats filled it was passed nonetheless. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was able to reach the threshold because some independent and minority MPs showed up for the vote. The opposition has decided not to attend parliamentary sessions because the ruling HDZ has lifted the immunity for prosecution of SDP MP Zeljko Jovanovic for calling HDZ a “criminal organisation.” Parliamentary elections are set for December fourth.

Croatia’s own chief prosecutor, Mladen Bajic, has opposed the law, warning that it will undermine cooperation between Croatia and Serbia in prosecuting war crimes committed in former Yugoslavia. Croatia’s President Ivo Josipović has announced that he will submit the law to the constitutional court of Croatia to asses its legality. He pointed out that the law “is extremely harmful because it denies Croat defenders the right to efficient defense through legal help of the Croat institutions.” The European Commission had already warned that the law would only “help war criminals” and would practically halt cooperation in war crimes cases between Croatia and Serbia. Croatia is set to become the newest member of the EU, but proper handling of war criminals was a key criterion for acceptance.

Sources: B92, B92, BalkanInsight, IOL News, Image.