After protests from veterans’ associations, the government decides to establish a commission.
As a guarantee that it will closely monitor the fulfilment of the conditions that Serbia has to fulfil after the opening of chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights in its accession negotiations with the European Union, the government yesterday set up a special commission, reports Večernji List on July 20, 2016.
The government adopted the decision after yesterday’s protests from veterans’ associations who organized a press conference and sharply criticized the government and Croatian diplomacy because Serbia opened chapters 23 and 24 without abolishing its controversial law on universal jurisdiction for prosecution of war crimes on the territory of the whole of former Yugoslavia.
This was the last opportunity to stop the “mini-Hague Tribunal” and the persecution of Croatian veterans, stated yesterday the representatives of associations of Croatian war veterans and war victims. Although they did have a meeting with Foreign Minister Miro Kovač and Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković and heard explanations that the incorporation of five Croatian requirements in the EU criteria meant that their interests were protected, the associations stated that the government would not have their support until 1 September, and that then they would become even more open in their criticism.
President of the Association of Disabled Veterans of the Homeland War Josip Đakić said that the state administration gave the green light to Serbia although the veterans warned that it should not do so. Wondering if the caretaker government even had a right to allow the opening of chapter 23, Đuro Glogoški, one of the veterans’ leaders, said that the government and state institutions had turned their backs to war veterans and have not accepted their proposals. Asked whether there would be any protests, Glogoški said that parliamentary elections were coming and that everything would be said in the polling booths.
The tensions have grown after statements from Serbia that it would not abolish the law and that indictments against Croatian citizens are being prepared. However, the fact is that Serbia’s fulfilment of the conditions will be assessed every six months and that Croatia can at any time block Serbia. Despite the claims of Serbia and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn that controversial law was not part of the acquis communautaire, it should be noted that progress in chapter 23 is not completely based on measurable criteria and that politics have a major role in evaluation of progress.
