BONN, Oct 15 (Hina) - A court in the German city of Bonn on Wednesday started a hearing in proceedings initiated by 35 citizens of Serbia and Montenegro against Germany for its involvement in a NATO attack on the town of Varvarin in
May 1999 which left 10 people killed and more than 30 wounded.
BONN, Oct 15 (Hina) - A court in the German city of Bonn on Wednesday
started a hearing in proceedings initiated by 35 citizens of Serbia
and Montenegro against Germany for its involvement in a NATO attack
on the town of Varvarin in May 1999 which left 10 people killed and
more than 30 wounded. #L#
Thirty-four out of the 35 plaintiffs lost their loved ones or were
themselves wounded in the attack. They seek a total of one million
euros in damages.
Their legal representative, attorney Guel Pinar of Hamburg, said
that the lawsuit was filed because the attack on Varvarin had been
carried out in violation of international law and without respect
for the rights of the civilian population.
The lawsuit says that Germany bears full responsibility because it
prepared and carried out the attack together with other members of
the North-Atlantic Alliance.
The German government rejected the charges, saying that German
aircraft had not participated in the attack on Varvarin. It also
said that under international law, in case of war civilians are not
individually entitled to damages.
A court spokesman said this was a unique trial in the history of the
German justice system.
(hina) vm sb