Ljajić: No formal request yet for Mladic's temporary release

President of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal Rasim Ljajić stated tonight that there has been no formal request yet for the temporary release of Hague indictee Ratko Mladic, and that everything related to providing government guarantees falls under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Ministry of Justice.

"There has been no formal request yet, and that is handled by the Serbian Ministry of Justice," Ljajić told reporters in Belgrade, commenting on media reports that Mladic's defense would seek temporary release and treatment in Serbia due to his poor health, the Beta agency reported.

He said that in all previous such cases, the Serbian government had given a positive response, i.e., guarantees, but that the response from The Hague was mostly negative because the Hague Court considers Dutch healthcare to be excellently equipped and capable of providing medical assistance.

"We should not create excessive expectations, because the chances for temporary release are minimal," said Ljajić, who is also the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications.

Speaking in general terms, Ljajić said that the state had provided guarantees to each Hague indictee whose defense had requested temporary release due to poor health.