New Croatian president writes to UN chief about Seselj

Source: Beta, Tanjug

ZAGREB, BELGRADE -- Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asking for "steps to be taken to return Vojislav Seselj to custody."

(Beta/AP, file)

The leader of the Serb Radical Party (SRS) was granted provisional release on humanitarian grounds late last year after spending more than 11 years incarcerated at the Hague Tribunal. In the ongoing court case, he stands accused of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war.
In her letter, the Croatian president-elect stressed that "he victims deserved Seselj's return to the detention center of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, as well as a speedy verdict and its elaboration."

Grabar-Kitarovic said the delay in issuing a verdict in the Seselj trial was "undoubtedly a failure" on the part of the court, the Beta agency reported.

"It is key to reach a verdict in the case as soon as possible so that Seselj does not evade it by dying, like Slobodan Milosevic," she stated.

Last week, the trial chamber of the Hague Tribunal rejected a motion filed by the prosecution to order Seselj to return to the detention unit.

The Croatian president-elect's letter was described by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal Rasim Ljajic as serving only to complicate relations between Serbia and Croatia.

Ljajic observed that the leader of the Radicals "unfortunately remains the subject of an internal political debate in that country even after elections," and stressed that neither Serbia, that Croatia wants to "distance itself from Seselj's statements," nor the UN chief, are the right addresses to send this kind of message.

"It only serves to convince us that this has nothing to do with justice or politics, but only with marketing. Everyone knowns Ban Ki-moon is not the one deciding on this, Serbia even less so. We were absolutely not asked about anything. The only right address for their demands is the trial chamber of the Hague Tribunal, that reached all these decisions," he said.

Noting that "nobody has been able to explain why such importance is given to the statements of a leader of a party that is not represented in parliament," Ljajic repeated that Serbia "wants to have best relations with Croatia," while "such statements do not contribute to that."