Milosevic “betrayed by history and Russia”

The other day, the Court of Appeals of the Hague tribunal decided to combine the court examinations against Yugoslavia’s Ex-president Slobodan Milosevic concerning events in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Croatia into one case. Thus, “the whole of the Milosevic case” will be tried within one court session. It was Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte who initiated the merger of the cases. The legal procedure is to start on February 12.

Slobodan Milosevic is charged with three accusations concerning Kosovo, Croatia, and Bosnia. The main accusation being brought against Milosevic is “crimes against humanity” and “genocide." The ex-leader of Yugoslavia is mos likely to be sentenced to a life of imprisonment.

As for the merger of the trials into one hearing, Carla Del Ponte argues it with the fact that during the three conflicts Milosevic had aimed at the creation of a “greater Serbia." For this very purpose, he initiated “mass repression” and “ethnic cleansing." The chief prosecutor thinks that it is quite logical to join the three cases into one hearing.

At the same time, Slobodan Milosevic says that he “has been betrayed by history and Russia," and several “secret agents” have done away with his regime. This statement of Milosevic has been cited by the B-92 broadcasting station in Belgrade.

The ex-president of Yugoslavia says that“Moscow betrayed itself when it betrayed me and the whole of the Serbian people.” He still believes that ordinary Serbs are on his side, as he has been betrayed by “several people only, who turned out to be disloyal to the ideas they used to believe.”

Perhaps, Slobodan Milosevic is right: these are the words to be said to the West. If we reallly recognize the fact that the Serbs are still faithful to Milosevic, Serbian Prime Minister Djindjic and Co. must be really very brave to consider extradition of Slobodan Milosevic.

Sergey Yugov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/02/02/36508.html