euinside

EN | BG

• EN | BG
• Subjects
• About Us
• Projects
• Copyrights

"I encourage my colleagues in Serbia to condemn clearly and unequivocally Vojislav Seselj's statements", said Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusic at a news conference responding to a question by euinside. She regretted that the Serbian authorities have to deal with such a serious problem. Subjects of this appeal for condemnation are also the institutions of the Hague tribunal and the UN which created it, but also the European Union as long as such behaviour directly damages the European integration process in the region.

Vesna Pusic said that during the meeting of the Council of the ministers of foreign affairs of the EU she warned her colleagues about the situation that has been developing after Seselj was let to return home and that she received support all responsible institutions to be warned. As his militaristic and unacceptable rhetoric reaches the public opinion this damages all the positive changes that have started as a consequence of the European integration process. According to Ms Pusic, Seselj harms most of all Serbia's European path but also the good relations between Serbia and its neighbours, not because Seselj has some strong influence but because this rhetoric has led to the war crimes of the 1990s. It is absolutely unacceptable anywhere and the Hague tribunal has to send him back to prison, the Croatian deputy prime minister underscored. It is expected, the high representative for the EU foreign policy, Federica Mogherini to come up soon with a statement on the issue.

The Croatian deputy premier added that it is possible the Croatian Ministry of Justice to send a letter to the UN demanding legal procedures to be initiated for Seselj's return to the Hague. According to her, Vojislav Seselj is a "war criminal gone crazy" who is neither an interlocutor nor a partner of a serious state like Croatia, which is why he cannot be a central issue. Serbia has a problem with him and should resolve it in cooperation with the tribunal. One should respect their own country and know how far degradation can go, Ms Pusic commented.