End of Milosevic’s Trial in the Hague
Natasa Kandic, President of the Humanitarian Law Centre, said that the death of Slobodan Milosevic should not create circumstances that would impede the trials in the other cases processed in the Hague. "Legally, this matter was close to a closure”, she said, and added that many in Serbia will find it significant that the President of FRY was not convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity. "All actions of the procedure are legally relevant, can be used and is legal historical testimony on the crimes committed on basis of command responsibility”, said Kandic. In her opinion, Milosevic’s defense strategy was not to dispute the charges of the prosecution, present evidence or deny any of the points, but wa reduced to – “Serbia, citizens of Serbia and attempt ot keep Serbia where he left it at the moment of his arrest”. "He always looked towards Serbia. His message was that he knew the truth and that truth is what he said. Milosevic managed to prevent us from moving forward, gave the chance to the institutions he defends in the Hague to kill the first politician that tried to change Serbia”, said Kandic. Sonja Biserko, the President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, estimated that Milosevic’s death is bad “...not only for the trial at the Hague Tribunal, but also for the future events in Serbia”. She added that the fact that the process against Milosevic was not completed and “there was no sentence that would put a full-stop to a policy that burdens Serbia for 20 years now, since we still miss a true break-up with that policy”. In her words, Milosevic’s death will resonate negatively in Serbia, since it will give a chance of manipulation and the blame will be directed towards ICTY. On the other hand, there will be a great number of people that will be satisfied with the fact that no sentence was declared. |
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