Serbia to pay Milosevic, fellow suspects at Hague

Haaretz ^ | 3/30/2004 | Reuters

[yonif]

BELGRADE - Slobodan Milosevic and other war crimes indictees will be paid by the Serbian taxpayer for as long as they are on trial at the Hague tribunal, under controversial legislation adopted by parliament on Tuesday.

The bill, proposed by ultranationalists and backed by Milosevic's Socialist Party, was adopted with ease on the eve of an annual U.S. ruling on whether Serbia is cooperating with the court and can continue receiving aid.

Opponents said it was a poorly-disguised gesture of defiance to the West and a payoff to Socialists for their backing of the minority government of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, a longtime critic of the United Nations tribunal.

Diplomats expect U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will not be able to certify Belgrade's compliance, triggering suspension of aid worth some e50 million this year.

"If he decides that certification is not possible tomorrow it does not close the possibility that certification might be possible some time in the future," visiting U.S. Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman said after talks with Kostunica.

In 2002, the aid was frozen for almost two months.

New attitude to The Hague The new law provides all Serbian war crimes indictees at the UN tribunal with compensation for lost salaries, plus help to spouses, siblings, parents and children for flight and hotel costs, telephone and mail bills, visa fees and legal charges.

Embraced by Kostunica's conservatives, the bill marks a first step in "two-way" cooperation with The Hague, his policy for redressing what he views as abject obedience in the past. "This is a sign that Serbia is changing its attitude to the Hague Tribunal," said acting Radical leader Tomislav Nikolic.

The past government of pro-Western reformists had treated all those who were not part of the anti-Milosevic movement as "war criminals...and...their families as enemies," he said.

A fellow Radical told parliament that compensation was meant to help "people who are guilty only of being Serbs".

Opposition Democrats had urged parliament to see the bill for what it was - a pro-Milosevic snub to the West.

"This is payback for (Socialist) support for the minority government," said outgoing foreign minister Goran Svilanovic. "What Radicals want is for the state to pay Slobodan Milosevic."

He reminded deputies that most Serbs in the Hague process, though not Milosevic, already got financial help from the state.

Ex-president Milosevic is mid-way through his genocide trial and ex-president Milan Milutinovic is waiting his turn along with Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj, whose deputy Nikolic is front-runner in presidential elections expected this summer.

The West would regard his victory as disastrous for Serbia.

So while the United States continues to press Belgrade to hand over 16 indictees to The Hague - fugitive former Bosnian Serb Army commander General Ratko Mladic tops the list - it is also anxious to give Kostunica's month-old government a chance.

Whether Washington views the new law as a provocation or a necessary move to placate nationalist voters remains to be seen.

[MarMema]

I think a good place to start is Exodus, the part of "thou shalt not kill."

Can you share this with your jihadist buddies? Thanks.

[FormerLib]

He's penciled in "unless they're Serbs" in every copy that he gets hold of, unfortunately!

[MarMema]

He has a lot of company in this country and in Nato.

[FormerLib]

He's about as Roman Catholic as your average Ustashe (in other words, not at all).

[MarMema]

These were my thoughts as well...

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

I don't have any jihadist buddies. Can you share it with the Serbian CommuNazis?

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

If you Roman Catholic then basics of Christianity beaten into head since babyhood...why you can not answer? Hmmm Mr. Islamo?>>>

Frankly I'm not here to convince you, MarMara, kittycat, lawnie or Destro of the truth of what I've seen and know. I'm just here to turn you up into as much of a purple rage as I can so that nobody can miss the fact that all the supporters of the Serb killers on this board are shrieking, mindless Nazis who couldn't argue their way out of a paper bag. And you're all remarkably predictable and most amusing when you shriek ISLAMONAZI ISLAMONAZI ISLAMONAZI as if anyone takes you the slightest bit seriously. Which they don't.

Keep up the good work people.

And the longer you are in a state, the more pleased I am.

[wonders]

Textbook case of projection.

[RussianConservative]

Only one here Nazi is you Islamo...busted by Christianity test...so once and for all for any to see is you are Islamic, know nothing of basis of Christianity faith...blah blah blah...worth only to ridicule. Actually most take us serious as majority are against support of your Islamo friends in Bosnia/Kosovo/Makedonia....hahaha dumb as a maranet...only good as sounding board for some Immam's yeallings.

[FormerLib]

I'm just here to turn you up into as much of a purple rage as I can...

You poor fool, don't you realize that we laugh at your silly, lying posts? Poor thing, delusions of grandeur on top of it all.

[FormerLib]

It's really sort of sad, in a way. I wonder if we should avoid playing into his fantasy world? It might really be harmful to him.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Delusions of grandeur? That's funny coming from someone who thinks that he and his Serbonazi buddies have the right to decree Muslims unfit to exist in the Serboreich.

[FormerLib]

That's funny coming from someone who thinks that he and his Serbonazi buddies have the right to decree Muslims unfit to exist in the Serboreich.

And that's moronic from someone who thinks his Islamonazi buddies have the right to use genocide against all non-Muslims in Kosovo.

You redefine pathetic. Go hang something off a bridge in celebration with your buddies.

[FormerLib]

Of course, Ronly Bonly bin Laden mostly wants to see us all lined up against a wall. That's how his type works.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

And that's moronic from someone who thinks his Islamonazi buddies have the right to use genocide against all non-Muslims in Kosovo.>>>

Yanno, I wonder, are you fit for old fashioned 8 mm film or 35 mm? (Although it is unfortunate that your sound unit doesn't turn off.)

[FormerLib]

That was banal, even considering the source.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Rather banal than... no, I'm not going to go there.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Of course, Ronly Bonly bin Laden mostly wants to see us all lined up against a wall. That's how his type works>>

That's funny. All I've ever said is that I have seen people who died that way. And the SERBS were their murderers.

Again, projection.

[FormerLib]

Rather banal than... no, I'm not going to go there.

Why not? Most of what you say sounds as if you pulled out of your...