"The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic area, declare that they share the objectives of the Council Common Position 2004/694/CFSP on further measures in support of the effective implementation of the mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Common Position," reads a press release issued by the Council on Thursday.
On 11 October the EU adopted the Common Position and a decision, which was subsequently made public, on freezing all assets and economic resources belonging to the runaway indictees: Bosnian Serb war-time leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, and retired Croatian general Ante Gotovina.
"In order to supplement measures recommended by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1503, adopted on 28 August 2003, against individuals, groups or organisations assisting indictees at large, and taking into account the fact that this Resolution requests all States to intensify their cooperation with the ICTY, in particular with regard to Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina, the Council considers it appropriate to freeze the assets of these individuals as part of the EU's overall effort to prevent any assistance provided to them and to bring them to the ICTY," reads the text of the Common Position.
Under the decision, which took effect on the day when it was adopted, all funds and economic resources belonging to the three indictees are frozen.
The exemption may be made for funds necessary for basic expenses, including payments for foodstuffs, rent or mortgage, medicines and medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums, and public utility charges.
The Common Position "shall apply for a 12-month period" and it shall be kept under constant review. "It shall be renewed or amended, if the Council deems that its objectives have not been met".
"In order to maximise the impact of the above-mentioned measures, the European Union shall encourage third States to adopt restrictive measures similar to those contained in this Common Position".
Asked by Hina to comment on the matter, a spokesman for the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Dobroslav Silobrcic, said on Thursday that this was "a technical document, and it is implied that Croatia, being an EU country candidate, is following the EU policy".