Del Ponte: Ratko Mladić will be convicted for genocide in Srebrenica

The genocide in Srebrenica was precisely planned. Milošević unfortunately died, but I am convinced that Ratko Mladić will be convicted," said Carla del Ponte, former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, in an interview with the Swiss Blick, reports the Patria news agency.

Carla del Ponte began the conversation about events in Bosnia and Herzegovina 20 years ago by saying:

"Milošević unfortunately died. But General Ratko Mladić, who organized the genocide at the scene, is still on trial. I am convinced he will be convicted."

Why does Srebrenica stand for 8,000 randomly killed people? Were they collateral damage in the war?

"No, no, no. It was a precisely planned genocide. The UN declared Srebrenica a safe zone in 1995, and Muslims fled there. In the end, there were approximately 8,000 of them. For Milošević and Mladić, this was an opportunity to destroy these Bosnians. Quite simply. Dutch UN soldiers alerted New York, but no one in the UN reacted. That is why they withdrew."

Del Ponte believes that the Dutch soldiers, who left the city in the lurch, would also have been killed, and that in those days Ratko Mladić would have allowed the killing of blue helmets.

"The Dutch should not be judged, which makes it even sadder that the trial against Milošević was terminated. I had telephone logs that were presented to the US and the UN in 1995. In them, Mladić reveals his plans - genocide!"

The Tribunal then still "failed": Milošević is dead, Mladić has been in the courtroom for years, and political responsibility remains unresolved.

"Srebrenica was talked about in the international community, but nothing was done."

"Mladić will be convicted, like the vast majority of the main and responsible ones. Without us, no one would have taken any action against these 'warlords,'" she pointed out.

The former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia believes that Tribunals have almost no preventive effect and that one only needs to look at what is happening in Syria.

For decades, she has dealt with the worst crimes. The Swiss woman believes that she has not become cynical over time.

"Not at all. For years, I have not allowed emotions when it comes to work. Some of my colleagues from the Tribunals for Rwanda and Yugoslavia had to stop working because they were too psychologically affected. A special character is needed, and fortunately I have it."

When asked why she remained a prosecutor and why she does not see herself in the role of a judge or defense attorney, Carla del Ponte replied:

"In The Hague, some criminals received only 12 years, even though they should have received at least 25. Everyone tries to understand the perpetrators. When someone does something, they get a chance to tell how terrible their childhood was, how their mother didn't love them, how school was difficult, and that their father was an alcoholic. I never understood that. These people are adults and must stand behind their actions.", reported N1.