Karadzic: Crimes to Be Solved Later

Djeric, who was Prime Minister of RS Government from March to December 1992, said that, at the time the RS was “a party state led by Karadzic”, in his capacity as leader of the Serbian Democratic Party, SDS.

He said that Karadzic “considered himself to be the government” and that, in collaboration with his closest associates, he designed the future politics and decided which ministers would implement it. The Government which was chaired by Djeric was, as he said, just “a technical appendage”.

According to Djeric, Momcilo Mandic, the then Minister of Justice, and Mico Stanisic, Minister of Internal Affairs, were involved in criminal activities and crimes, adding that Stanisic even threatened him with murder.

“Mandic and Stanisic bypassed the Government and went directly to Karadzic,” Djeric said, pointing out that the RS President prevented him from dismissing Mandic and Stanisic.

Mico Stanisic is on trial before The Hague Tribunal as per an indictment, charging him with crimes against Bosniaks and Croats in 1992.

Djeric said that he “was concerned” due to crimes committed by Serb forces and that he wanted the problem to be solved, but Karadzic “disagreed with it”, saying that it could as well be done later.

Karadzic, former President and Supreme Commander of RS armed forces, is charged with the persecution of Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, genocide in Srebrenica and seven other municipalities
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, terror against civilians in Sarajevo and taking UN “blue helmets” hostage.

The former RS Prime Minister confirmed that the then member of the RS Presidency Biljana Plavsic “requested and approved” the coming of paramilitary forces to the RS, but all other Presidency members approved that as well.

“Plavsic openly presented her stands at a RS Assembly session held in Zvornik in the fall of 1992,” the witness said.

In 2003 the Tribunal sentenced Plavsic to 11 years’ imprisonment, after she had admitted guilt for persecution of the non-Serb population in 1992. After having served two-thirds of her sentence in a prison in Sweden, she was released to liberty.

Djeric said that municipal crisis committees, which were used, as alleged under the indictment, by top political leaders for forcible taking over of authority throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, were “the apparatus” of SDS.

Indictee Karadzic is due to cross-examine Djeric on Tuesday.R.M.