Krajisnik on Proposals by Izetbegovic and Silajdzic

Testifying in defence of Radovan Karadzic, former President of the Republika Srpska Assembly Momcilo Krajisnik says that the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was caused by “a Muslim-Croatian coalition” performing an anti-constitutional secession from Yugoslavia, despite objections by the Serbian people.

Giving detailed answers to Karadzic’s questions about the events that happened on the eve of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Krajisnik said that Muslim and Croat parliamentarians were always against the Serb ones and outvoted them.
 
“The Muslim and Croat side advocated for separation from Yugoslavia in an unconstitutional way, while the Serb side advocated for respect of the Constitution and finding of a compromise,” Krajisnik said, adding that two-third parliamentary majority was needed for separation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from Yugoslavia, but those who advocated for a sovereign state of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not have the mentioned majority due to objections by Serbs.
 
The witness said that, in January 1991 President of the Party for Democratic Action, SDA, Alija Izetbegovic gave “a shocking statement” at a parliament session, saying that he would “sacrifice peace in order to get a sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
 
According to Krajisnik, during that summer the SDA formed paramilitary forces – the Patriotic League and Green Berets.
 
Krajisnik said that the establishment of the Assembly followed by establishment of the Republic of the Serbian People in Bosnia and Herzegovina was a consequence of the unlawful adoption of a declaration on sovereignty by the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina without the participation by Serb representatives in October 1991.
 
According to Krajisnik’s testimony, in December the Bosnian Serb leadership gave up the stay in Yugoslavia and accepted the independent state of Bosnia and Herzegovina after having received promises that a Serb “national unit” would exist within that state.
 
“I often clearly heard Mr. Izetbegovic say that division of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the best option, but that Bosnia and Herzegovina was like a tiger’s fur, so one should make sure that as few of us as possible remained on your territory and vice versa,” Karadzic said.
 
The witness said that, in Geneva in 1993 Izetbegovic and the then Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Haris Silajdzic requested 33 percent of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the establishment of three entities. 
 
“You are free to go if you want to associate with Serbia. This was an honest policy by Izetbegovic, but he had many associates, who had a fixed idea that Bosnia should be a unitary state, that war should be led in order to achieve that goal. In the end, this was the problem,” Krajisnik said.
 
According to Krajisnik, the proclamation of Republika Srpska on January 9, 1992 was in line with plans by the international community, just like the previous establishment of Serbian municipalities and associations of municipalities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
 
On August 31 this year Krajisnik was released from a prison in Great Britain after having served two thirds of his 20-year sentence, which The Hague Tribunal pronounced against him due to deportations, forced resettlement and, partially, persecution of Muslims and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war.
 
At the beginning of his testimony Krajisnik said that he was preparing a request for revision of the second instance verdict of conviction and that he “lives for the day when I will hear – not guilty”. 
 
Karadzic, the then President and supreme Commander of Republika Srpska armed forces, is also charged with the persecution of non-Serbs throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, which reached the scale of genocide in seven municipalities, genocide in Srebrenica, terror against civilians in Sarajevo and taking UNPROFOR members hostage.
 
Krajisnik is due to continue testifying on Tuesday, November 12.