BELGRADE, July 3 (Hina) - Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic, who has been a key figure in the extradition of Slobodan Milosevic to the ICTY, on Tuesday said Milosevic's destiny "for us (Serbia) is a closed chapter," and announced that as
of now the country was going to deal with other things. Djindjic told reporters in the Serbian government's building that Milosevic was now under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and "it is his (Milosevic's) problem how he will behave before the Tribunal." The Social Democratic Union (SDU), the DOS ruling coalition's member led by a Serbian Deputy Premier, Zarko Korac, described Milosevic's conduct before the Tribunal today as "typical for a man who lives in a world of his own." "Milosevic deserves such an end because of the policy he led," the SDU said, adding that Milosevic's transfer to The Hague was "a histo
BELGRADE, July 3 (Hina) - Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic, who has
been a key figure in the extradition of Slobodan Milosevic to the
ICTY, on Tuesday said Milosevic's destiny "for us (Serbia) is a
closed chapter," and announced that as of now the country was going
to deal with other things.
Djindjic told reporters in the Serbian government's building that
Milosevic was now under the jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and "it is his
(Milosevic's) problem how he will behave before the Tribunal."
The Social Democratic Union (SDU), the DOS ruling coalition's
member led by a Serbian Deputy Premier, Zarko Korac, described
Milosevic's conduct before the Tribunal today as "typical for a man
who lives in a world of his own."
"Milosevic deserves such an end because of the policy he led," the
SDU said, adding that Milosevic's transfer to The Hague was "a
historic step forward".
"This morning Milosevic was not aware of where he was," said a
senior official of the Democratic Party (DS), at the helm of which
is Djindjic.
The DS official Goran Vesic, who is also an advisor to Yugoslavia's
Interior Minister, said Milosevic still believed that he was a
politician instead of preparing himself for the defence against the
charges in his indictment. He, however, will realise his position
in the course of time," Vesic added.
The leader of the Serb Radical Party, Vojislav Seselj, praised
Milosevic for his conduct before the ICTY this morning.
"Serbian radicals are glad to see Milosevic behave firmly and with
dignity before the criminal Hague Tribunal," Seselj said at a news
conference.
Seselj, like Milosevic, labelled the ICTY as an instrument of
NATO.
He threatened incumbent Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica that
he would also be prosecuted.
"I promise him (Kostunica) that I will not hand him over to The
Hague. The court which will try him can be in his village of
Kostunica, where they are trying to create a new Serbian Kumrovec,"
Seselj said.
This morning, Serbian TV stations broadcast Milosevic's 15-minute-
long first appearance before the ICTY with the conclusion that this
former autocrat tried to hold a political speech in English for the
world public about the ICTY, and a part in the Serbian language to
instil morale in his staunch followers to continue with protest
rallies.
(hina) sb ms