BELGRADE, June 24 (Hina) - The adoption of a decree by the Yugoslav government on cooperation between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has instilled the
anticipated fear among ranks of the Serbian opposition parties and provoked their outraged reactions. The by-law on cooperation with the Hague-based ICTY, which comes into force on Sunday, provides for the extradition of Yugoslav citizens accused of war crimes to the ICTY. Immediately after the government enacted the by-law on Saturday, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) held a news conference and announced it would lodge an appeal with the Constitutional Court to assess whether this decree was in compliance with the Constitution. The SPS, whose leader Slobodan Milosevic is in jail in Belgrade on suspicion of corruption but who will be very affected by this decree as he is
BELGRADE, June 24 (Hina) - The adoption of a decree by the Yugoslav
government on cooperation between the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (FRY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has instilled the anticipated fear among
ranks of the Serbian opposition parties and provoked their outraged
reactions.
The by-law on cooperation with the Hague-based ICTY, which comes
into force on Sunday, provides for the extradition of Yugoslav
citizens accused of war crimes to the ICTY.
Immediately after the government enacted the by-law on Saturday,
the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) held a news conference and
announced it would lodge an appeal with the Constitutional Court to
assess whether this decree was in compliance with the
Constitution.
The SPS, whose leader Slobodan Milosevic is in jail in Belgrade on
suspicion of corruption but who will be very affected by this decree
as he is wanted by the ICTY for crimes against humanity during his
crackdown on Kosovo Albanians, asserts that the constitutions of
the FRY and Serbia "explicitly forbid" the extradition of Yugoslav
citizens.
The SPS claims that this decree presents "flagrant violation of the
constitution, introducing a state of emergency."
SPS has announced protest rallies for Tuesday as well gatherings
every day in front of the Belgrade prison where Milosevic is
jailed.
One of Milosevic's lawyers, Toma Fila, believes that the government
made double legal omission with this decree.
According to him, this matter can be regulated only by a law in
compliance with the Constitution. Secondly, the government of the
FRY is a result of the coalition between Serbian DOS and Montenegrin
SNP, and after SNP members left the cabinet (before the adoption of
the decree) "there is no longer either government or coalition."
In the meantime some positive comments were given in Podgorica, the
capital of Montenegro. The ruling DPS of Montenegrin President Milo
Djukanovic has announced a possibility for initiating new
negotiations between three key men - FRY President Vojislav
Kostunica, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic and Serbian
Premier Zoran Djindjic, and all three officials are willing for
such a move.
The Yugoslav Left (JUL) of Milosevic's wife, Mirjana Markovic,
described the decree as "unconstitutional, illegal, immoral and
anti-Serbian."
The party SSJ (Party of the Serbian Unity), established by the late
Zeljko Raznatovic alias Arkan, one of the notorious Serbian
underground bosses and paramilitary commanders, said the adoption
of the decree meant a coup d'etat.
(hina) ms