Serge Brammertz Heads to Bosnia and Herzegovina
This post is also available in: Bosnian
As part of preparations for a regular semi-annual report to the UN Security Council, Brammertz will stay in Sarajevo for two days in order to hold a series of meetings with local and international officials and war victims’ associations.
One of the key issues under discussion at these meetings will be support to the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina in processing war crimes cases which were referred to the Bosnian judiciary by the Hague Tribunal, as well as the cases opened by the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Regional media report that Bosnians have shown particular interest in the outcome of Brammertz’s meetings with Milorad Barasin, Chief Prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and members of the Bosnian Presidency.
During the course of his stay in Sarajevo, Brammertz will also speak with associations of war victims from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Munira Subasic, president of “Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves” Association, told Justice Report that at her meeting with the top ICTY Prosecutor she would demand the immediate arrest of Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, the two remaining ICTY indictees who are still at large.
“Europe must not give Serbia a green light to join the European Union so long as Mladic and Hadzic are at large. We will ask Brammertz to make sure that the Hague Prosecution will put pressure against Serbia in order to see the remaining ICTY fugitives arrested,” Subasic said.
Representatives of victims’ associations will also insist on increased support from the Hague Prosecution to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Prosecution in order to have all war crimes cases completed as soon as possible.
“At this pace, it will take 300 years for the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to complete all the war crimes cases. We see witnesses dying and evidence disappearing. We consider that the support from Hague prosecutors is necessary in this country,” Subasic said.
Brammertz will stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina until October 20. He will then pay a two-day visit to Croatia. In the first week of November, the Chief Prosecutor will visit Serbia.
D.E.
