(Patria) - Last night in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the public institution Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund, on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the judgment of the Hague Tribunal in the case "Prlić et al.", organized a screening of the documentary film "Justice" and the promotion of the photo monograph "Heroes of Mostar".
Among others, the director of the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law of the University of Sarajevo, Rasim Muratović, addressed the audience, saying that the Hague Tribunal had done a great job, establishing several important facts that should never be forgotten.
- It was established that aggression was committed against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia, that is, that joint criminal enterprises were committed.
These are facts that will remain until Judgment Day - Muratović said, criticizing the judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, as he stated, did not judge numerous criminals who were part of the mentioned criminal enterprises.
- The dust fell on 848 cases of war crimes, no one touched them, and they are taking out some indictments that were written in Belgrade, such as "Dobrovoljačka" - says Muratović in an interview for Patria News Agency.
A few days ago, the BiH Council of Ministers reached a conclusion on the Revised Strategy for Prosecuting War Crimes, which stipulates that the most complex cases will be processed by the BiH Prosecutor's Office, and all other lower levels of the judiciary, which often reject cases justifying it by lack of evidence.
We asked Muratović if we can then expect the continuation of the persecution of the defenders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the cases of crimes committed by the Army of the Republic of Serbia (VRs) and the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) will be dismissed at lower levels of the judiciary?
- This is not the first time that strategy has been revised, it was revised in 2003, 2005, and even in 2008. If they continue to work as they have been, then that should be expected.
The Hague Tribunal repeatedly reminded them of those 848 cases. All these associations repeatedly warned about it, put pressure on the Prosecutor's Office in a certain way, but it did not help.
So, it is obvious that we are dealing with some policies that have misdirected that segment of the work of the Prosecutor's Office - says Muratović.
During last night's meeting, among other things, it was said that even to this day, Croatian politics has not given up on the goals that led to the crimes committed in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for which the "Hague Six" were convicted.
Muratović says that neither Greater Croatia nor Greater Serbia politics will ever give up on these goals.
- There is no cure for those policies. The only remedy I see for you is the one from the other side - that our people from the positions they work in, act correctly, such as the Court and the Prosecutor's Office, for example.
From 2005 until today, the Government of Norway alone has invested 28 million euros in improving the work of courts and prosecutor's offices at all levels of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order to have better infrastructure and working conditions.
It is my impression, and I think he is not mistaken, that certain policies of the revised strategy have diverted the War Crimes Department in another direction.
A classic example is the subject "Dobrovoljačka". The case of Ejup Ganić was completed in some other courts, and instead of those 848 cases, the indictment written in Belgrade suddenly becomes actualized. It is a paradox. And from this position I can do nothing. Politics can, politicians can.
We have ministries of justice at the state level, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the cantonal levels. They have certain commissions that monitor the work of courts and prosecutor's offices. From time to time, they have to supervise and audit their work - adds Muratović.
We asked him if and how it is possible to build a better future and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina with such a Croatian policy?
- Unfortunately, it can't be done with something like that. I said last night that the Hague Tribunal did a colossal job - it proved joint criminal enterprises, proved that it was an international armed conflict, that it was aggression by the Republic of Croatia against the sovereign, independent Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Croatia signed the Dayton Peace Agreement as a participant in that conflict, although they often mock us in public statements that they are some kind of guarantor and witness of that agreement. No, they are participants in the international armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both Serbia and Croatia.
So it's up to them, they have to revise their policies. I am not an optimist here, but I am an optimist when it comes to this other side - the fight for justice through the courts and prosecutor's offices, to do it in an adequate way and process those 848 cases. It is enough for them to have something to do for the next 20 years.
It is about the "A" list of people who are suspected of having committed war crimes. Those cases have been completed, trials need to be organized and that's it. Very simple - concludes Muratović in an interview for Patrija.
(D. Kovač)