Earlier this month, former Yugoslav President Sloban Milosevic appeared in front of a United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands for crimes against humanity.
One Ohio State staff member believes this could be a turning point in the Bosnian War.
“We are probably seeing at present the end of the recent Balkan wars, especially with the transfer of Milosevic to the Hague tribunal where he is facing charges of crimes against humanity,” said Tatyana Nestrova-Matejic, a lecturer in the department of International Studies. “There is an ongoing ethnic conflict in Macedonia. However, with Western assistance, this might be resolved in a peaceful manner.”
The former head of state stood alone at the hearing after refusing legal representation and failed to enter a plea to the charges brought against him by the International War Crimes Tribunal.
“I consider this tribunal (a) false tribunal and indictments false indictments. It is illegal, so I have no need to appoint representation,” Milosevic said, refusing to cooperate with the proceedings. The tribunal entered a not guilty plea for Milosevic and will convene until the week of Aug. 27.
Milosevic was indicted in 1999, charged with orchestrating a “cleansing” campaign in Kosovo against the province’s ethnic Albanian population. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison as the tribunal is not permitted to impose a penalty of death.
“The trial of Milosevic will certainly set an important precedent in terms of the ability of the international community to deal more effectively with heads of state who engage in criminal activities,” Nestorova-Matejic said.
Milosevic had been held in Belgrade since April after being ousted from power in a popular uprising last fall. He was extradited to The Hague last week.
“This trial’s aim is to produce false justification for the war crimes of NATO committed in Yugoslavia,” Milosevic said before the tribunal.
Presiding Judge Richard May of England responded by saying, “As I have said, you will have the full opportunity, in due course, to defend yourself and to make and to make your defense before the tribunal. This is not the moment to do so.”
During his 13 years as head of Yugoslavia, Milosevic led his country through years of war in the provinces of Croatia, Slovenia, Kosovo and Bosnia, years of U.N. sanctions and the division of the state of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines.
The U.N. war crimes tribunal was convened by the security council in 1993 and was given jurisdiction over persons responsible for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide in the former Yugoslavia since 1991. The tribunal is the first international body formed for the prosecution of war crimes since the conclusion of World War II.
Yugoslav Prime Minister Zoran Zizic resigned following the extradition, sighting a Constitutional Court ruling that banned the transfer. Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, who was indicted with Milosevic, is reportedly considering turning himself in.
International donors, led by the United States, pledged $1.28 billion in aid to Yugoslavia. Officials said the funds, are much needed to rebuild an economy shaken by sanctions, internal mismanagement and four years of war.
