European Forum

Brammertz satisfied with Serbia’s progress in cooperating with Hague Tribunal

Yesterday (4 June) Hague tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz submitted his report on Serbia's co-operation with the tribunal to the UN Security Council. Brammertz stated that Serbia has made further progress in cooperation with the Hague. His opinion is crucial in determining whether to allow implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement that Serbia signed with the EU 14 months ago.

Brammertz noted that Serbia had made "additional progress in its cooperation with the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) OTP", as the large majority of requests for assistance, including requests for access to documents and archives, had been complied with. He added that "the search for and arrest of Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić" remained "the central issue in relation to Serbia’s cooperation".

“The prosecutor’s report was objective, we’re aware that the results are lacking, and we’re also doing our utmost to arrest Hague accused Mladić and Hadžić as soon as possible,” said Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević. He said to reporters that Brammertz’s report was the most positive to date.

Furthermore, during a meeting with the UN Security Council, ICTY President Patrick Robinson and Brammertz said that the trial of ex-President of Republika Srpska Radovan Karadzic will likely start in August 2009. They expect the trial to last for about two years. Karadzic is prosecuted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in Bosnia (1992-1995). Last year he was detained in Belgrade, and now risks life imprisonment.


Sources: B92; SeTimes; Portal ICTY