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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Voluntary surrender protects interest of the state and indictees

Belgrade, 21 February 2005

Following General Milan Gvero’s decision to surrender voluntarily to The Hague, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said in a written statement that voluntary surrender is a good model for cooperation with The Hague Tribunal as it protects the interests of the state, the indictees and their families.

Vojislav Kostunica

The Serbian government official website brings the Prime Minister’s written statement in full:

“The Serbian government starts from international obligations, and the greatest part concerns the cooperation with The Hague Tribunal, and in that sense there are no exceptions. The Serbian government is resolute to fulfil the remaining obligations, as only part of the obligations has been fulfilled.

“On the other hand, I would connect that obligation with one very important event and document that we expect in late March. That is a positive assessment of the feasibility study. The feasibility study practically puts us one step closer to the EU and thus our relations with Europe are being formalised. Undoubtedly, it will be a great encouragement and stimulus on our continuing road to European integration.

“It is, however, well-known that one of the greatest obstacles and one of the most important requests is cooperation with The Hague Tribunal. Naturally, the positive feasibility study is not reduced to cooperation with The Hague only. It reduces to a series of very important European standards, appropriate regulations that were passed during the last year at the proposal of the Serbian government, however cooperation with The Hague Tribunal is very important in all that. It’s an international obligation that has to be fulfilled, and it can be fulfilled in a number of different ways.

“The Serbian government chose one way which provides cooperation of interests of the state, those accused and their families; that’s a voluntary surrender. It has shown results already.

“One should bear in mind that voluntary surrender as a model of cooperation with The Hague Tribunal has one good side, has another face which is also positive, and that’s a two-way cooperation. Voluntary surrenders provide that those accused are released at large before the trial begins, and that’s a positive thing.

“I am assured that this will prove to be the best form of cooperation, and I am sure that it is the way to bring the cooperation with The Hague and fulfilment of all our obligations to an end,” Kostunica said.