Milanovic: Issue of missing persons needs to be resolved before Serbia joins EU

NEWS 13.04.202119:45 0 komentara
Zoran Milanović
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President Zoran Milanovic on Tuesday met with members of special police and army veterans groups from the 1991-95 war, and said that the issue of people still missing in the war "has to be resolved" before Serbia joins the European Union.

The talks focused on “resolving the issue of missing soldiers and civilians, lawsuits filed by Croatian POWs against Serbia, possible war reparations by Serbia for its aggression against Croatia, and commemorations of 1991-95 war anniversaries,” Croatia’s state agency Hina reported.

The veterans’ representatives said they believed that these issues can only be solved through the involvement of the country’s top political institutions – the President, the government, and Parliament – and that is why they have requested President Milanovic’s assistance, a press release issued by the President’s Office said.

President Milanovic and the veterans’ representatives agreed that the most important issue is to shed light on the fate of missing soldiers and civilians. They received the President’s firm support in that. He believes that before Serbia joins the EU, it has to reveal the whereabouts of the remains of missing defenders and civilians. Hina reported.

“The issue of the missing has to be resolved before Serbia enters the EU. We know that our neighbors know, and have to know, a lot more about the missing than they are doing and showing. That is a humane issue, a symbolic issue, and a state matter,” said Milanovic.

Regarding the issue of war reparations and lawsuits by Croatia POWs, President Milanovic showed understanding for the veterans but, as the press release said, he pointed out the “realistic legal obstacles that exist.”

Veterans’ representatives further informed the President of their initiative to clearly regulate the commemoration of all the important war anniversaries. According to their proposal, which has previously been presented to government institutions, important anniversaries should be jointly commemorated by senior state officials and victims’ families.

President Milanovic recalled that he himself had suggested that on several occasions.

“I believe that the state leaders need to jointly participate in the commemorations,” said President Milanovic.

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