ZAGREB, May 26 (Hina) - Croatian Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic on Wednesday received a delegation of the Croatian Serb minority, at their request. The delegation was led by the president of the Serb National Council (SNV) and a
parliamentary representative, Milorad Pupovac. After the talks, which lasted an hour and a half, both sides expressed readiness to continue cooperating in the process of establishment of trust, as well as in the implementation of the Amnesty Act and the location of mass grave sites. Describing the talks as useful, open and thorough, Separovic said they focused on the implementation of the Amnesty Act, since the Serb minority had objected against the increasing number of arrests of war crimes suspects, particularly in eastern Slavonia. The arrests are the consequence of a more massive return of displaced people to the areas they had fled, Separovic said. The two sides h
ZAGREB, May 26 (Hina) - Croatian Justice Minister Zvonimir
Separovic on Wednesday received a delegation of the Croatian Serb
minority, at their request.
The delegation was led by the president of the Serb National Council
(SNV) and a parliamentary representative, Milorad Pupovac.
After the talks, which lasted an hour and a half, both sides
expressed readiness to continue cooperating in the process of
establishment of trust, as well as in the implementation of the
Amnesty Act and the location of mass grave sites.
Describing the talks as useful, open and thorough, Separovic said
they focused on the implementation of the Amnesty Act, since the
Serb minority had objected against the increasing number of arrests
of war crimes suspects, particularly in eastern Slavonia.
The arrests are the consequence of a more massive return of
displaced people to the areas they had fled, Separovic said.
The two sides have accepted the principle of independence of courts
and judges, who are conducting proceedings according to the law and
their conscience, Separovic said.
In that sense, the Justice Ministry welcomes the proposal of the
Serb community in Croatia to help Croatian institutions in locating
mass grave sites, as well as in the process of identification of
victims, Separovic said, adding he believed the Serb side would
make a positive step by taking action towards the Federal Republic
Yugoslavia regarding the extradition of the "Vukovar troika".
On behalf of his ministry, Separovic announced more responsible
efforts aimed at securing proportional representation in Croatian
courts and accelerating court proceedings.
Pupovac expressed satisfaction with the talks, adding both sides
had expressed readiness to deal with sensitive issues.
Pupovac said he received assurances from Separovic that the policy
which had yielded enviable results in the process of peaceful
reintegration would be continued.
"On behalf of the Serb community, here, as before President
Tudjman, we expressed readiness to help the judicial system to act
in accordance with the law and institutions of state authority in
establishing the truth about and the identification of missing
persons", Pupovac said.
He hoped the Serb community would in this way contribute to "the
further establishment of trust, which, along with refugee return,
is one of the most important achievements".
Attending the talks as members of the Serb delegation were also
Milos Vojnovic and Jovan Ajdukovic.
(hina) rml