The Hague, 22 October 2014
A group of 25 legal professionals from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey visited ICTY today. Visitors met with Magdalena Spalinska, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers who introduced them to the work and achievements of the ICTY and Tribunal’s completion strategy. In addition, visitors had the opportunity to follow the hearing in the Mladić case.
Spalinska highlighted the importance of transfer of knowledge from the Tribunal to the region and strengthening of the judicial systems in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. She stressed that, with the ICTY mandate in its final phase, it is crucial to ensure that local courts effectively process war crimes cases.
The visitors were interested in the challenges of holding accountable those on high level positions, and discussed the modalities of trials of self-representing accused. They also asked about the timetable of trials and were interested in the gradual handover of ICTY functions to the MICT.
The visit was organised by the T.M.C. Asser Instituut in cooperation with ICTY Outreach Programme.