ICTY President Judge Carmel Agius today concluded his last official visit to Belgrade, Serbia. During the visit, President Agius met with high-level officials, including President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić and the Minister of Justice Nela Kuburović.
The meetings were characterized by frank and open dialogue and the topics discussed included the facilitation of regional cooperation on the prosecution before domestic courts of crimes committed during the conflicts of the 1990s, the legacy of the Tribunal, and the possible establishment of an ICTY Information Centre in Serbia.
During the meetings President Agius stressed that after the Tribunal’s closure, the main responsibility for delivering justice for war crimes committed during 1990s conflicts will be borne by the governments and judicial systems in the region, which highlights the importance of regional cooperation in this domain.
In relation to the establishment of ICTY Information Centres, pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1966 (2010), President Agius emphasized that such a centre in Belgrade would constitute a valuable resource and provide Serbian citizens with direct access to all publicly available Tribunal records. In response, the Serbian officials expressed their interest and willingness to advance with this proposal.
As part of the visit, President Agius also held meetings with Judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation, the Higher Court in Belgrade, which deals with War Crimes, and the War Crimes Department of the Appeals Court, as well as members of civil society. At the end of his visit the President held a briefing for the representatives of the diplomatic corps in Belgrade.
This was the final in a series of visits that President Agius has paid this year to the countries of the former Yugoslavia before the Tribunal closes down at the end of this year.
