Pristina, Mitrovica, Belgrade – Guarantees for detained Serbs from northern Kosovo, submitted by the Government of Serbia on February 10 to EULEX, all international bodies in Kosovo, as well as ambassadors of Quint countries in Belgrade, are valid during the whole procedure. We’ll be seeking of EULEX, which is responsible for the respect of human rights and international standards, to accept guarantees during the procedure – the Office of the Government of Serbia for Kosovo and Metohija told Danas.
“We expect EULEX, after the indictment, to accept the political and legal act of Belgrade – the accused to be released pending trial and guarantee of the Serbian Government that they will be available to justice throughout the proceedings. We want to believe in the impartiality of the judiciary and equality before the provincial institutions, the rule of law in KiM and the application of the same rules for all defendants, as examples of granting bail to members of the Drenica Group. We are sure that in any fair procedure Oliver Ivanović and other defendants in this case will prove their innocence,” said the Office for Kosovo and Metohija on demands of the Civic Initiatives SDP for its leader, Oliver Ivanovic, to receive the new, stronger guarantees.
The office for Kosovo and Metohija has no knowledge of whether EULEX cooperated with Belgrade on Ivanovic case, indicted by the Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo for war crimes committed in April 1999 and serious crimes in February 2000. The Prosecution of War Crimes in Serbia told Danas that in their cases they have nothing in connection to Ivanovic’s liability for war crimes, and that EULEX did not address them formally because of him.
Ksenija Bozovic, deputy president of the SDP, told Danas that Mitrovica citizens are more worried after yesterday’s decision of the court in the northern part of Mitrovica to place two Serbs from the joint indictment with Oliver Ivanovic, on a one-month custody.
– It is irrational that Lazovic and Vujacic go into custody only after the indictment and in order not to influence the witnesses who have been interviewed. It is no coincidence either that it was stated that these measures are imposed in connection with Ivanovic and Delibasic’s case. This narrows the space of the decision to allow them to defend themselves while on bail – indicates Ksenija Bozovic.
After a seven-hour hearing behind “closed doors”, a EULEX judge Suzana Komsa two days ago, at the request of the EULEX public prosecutor Cazara Mihalčuka, set a one-month trial detention Aleksandar Lazovic and Nebojsa Vujacic. The judge determined Ilija Vujacic, who has been under house arrest, mandatory reporting to police. Both Ilija and Nebojsa Vujacic and Lazovic are on a joint indictment with Oliver Ivanovic and Dragoljub Delibasic, a former senior officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia, but are charged only for the aggravated murders committed in February 2000.
