Croatian Justice Minister: Indictment against Croatian Pilots Could Block Serbia’s EU Path

Zagreb (BetaPhoto/Emil Vas)

Croatian Justice and Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica has said that the proceedings launched by the Serbian authorities against Croatian military pilots for the crime on the Petrovacka cesta road could block Serbia’s EU path.

Speaking to RTL TV in the evening on Aug. 22, Malenica said that “in terms of legal system and legislation, Croatia has clearly harmonized with the EU,” adding that “the question arises as to what Serbia has been doing in that direction and whether it truly wants to join the EU,” News Agency Hina has reported.

“This style and this type of legislation in Serbia, this quasi-jurisdiction which has been abused is not one of the ways in which a country aspiring to join the EU should be acting,” Malenica stressed. He added that the proceedings against four Croatian pilots in Serbia “are politically fabricated” and “could be a reason for blocking Serbia’s EU path.”

Last week, the Court of Appeal in Belgrade confirmed the indictment issued by the Office of the War Crime Prosecutor against four members of the Croatian Army Air Force for the crimes committed in Operation Storm. Vladimir Mikac, Zdenko Radulja, Zeljko Jelenic, and Danijel Borovic are indicted for shelling refugees who had crossed from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the shelling of refugees on the Petrovacka cesta road and the village of Svodna (B-H) 13 civilians were killed and 24 were wounded.