Dobrovoljačka Case: A New Witness Who Remembers Better Today Than in 1995, How Armed Civilians Became Soldiers!

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

The Dobrovoljačka Case, closed by the Hague Tribunal which clearly stated that the column in Dobrovoljačka was a legitimate military target, and reopened before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the latest court hearing once again showed the full splendor of fabrication by the BiH Prosecutor's Office, specifically prosecutors Milanko Kajganić and Mladen Vukojičić.

Witness Zoran Adžić, who was reassigned to Sarajevo in the 'Jusuf Đonlić' barracks in the spring of 1992, suddenly remembered uniformed individuals shooting at him, and the chaos the army caused in Dobrovoljačka when it cut off the column. This is how he spoke today, 30 years after the events.

And in 1995, before the investigating judge in Bileća, he said something completely different. He then claimed that a tall man, a civilian, about 40 years old, shot at him, and that the chaos and disorder were caused by a group of armed civilians.

When asked directly by the defense whether he remembered better in 1995 or today, 30 years later, Adžić could not specify, but he said he would not lie before the investigating judge. He confirmed that his signatures on that statement were authentic, but that he still remembers the moment from May 3, 1992.

Adžić was wounded in Dobrovoljačka on May 3rd. He came to the building of the Second Military District from Lukavica to load material and technical goods, after Alija Izetbegović 'arrived at the barracks in Lukavica' on May 2nd.

“I saw Alija Izetbegović in the company of a woman. UNPROFOR was also there. He was with his people. The next day, in the afternoon, we were in a column (about 20 trucks) leaving to evacuate people from the Second Military District. Vehicles from UNPROFOR were also in the column with us,” Adžić recounted.

To subsequent questions from the defense, as well as Judge Darko Samardžić, Adžić confirmed that he did not see how Izetbegović arrived at the barracks, but in 1995 he said that 'General Milutin Kukanjac was surrounded, and at the same time, members of the military police were holding Alija Izetbegović in Lukavica'.

Today he could not confirm this, even saying that he didn't know what that judge wrote!? He even said that he had never been to a Military Court!?

Otherwise, in his 1995 statement, he said that the column numbered 300-400 soldiers, men, civilian personnel, and families, but today he could not specify on this issue.

He told prosecutor Vukojičić that after being wounded, he was taken to Koševo hospital, where he stayed for 9 days.

He told lawyer Lejla Čović that on that day, May 3rd, it was crowded and there were many wounded in the hospital, and they received help late in the evening.

Before him, Borislav Đurđević was cross-examined, who was questioned by the BiH Prosecutor's Office on February 14, 2024.

At that time, the defense did not have this witness's statement from 2005 given in Bijeljina, which the expert referred to in the indictment, and Judge Darko Samardžić then asked prosecutor Mladen Vukojičić why the defense did not have that statement, so they could prepare for cross-examination.

Prosecutor Vukojičić then said he did not have that statement (!?), and then Samardžić logically asked - who gave the expert the statement on the basis of which he prepared the report.

“Well, the Prosecutor's Office gives documents to the expert. On what basis did he make the report,” asked Samardžić.

In the meantime, the defense received the statement, and today Đurđević answered the defense's questions. The defense was most interested in his claim that the column in Dobrovoljačka was formed in marching order, and his credibility was also questioned.

Đurđević answered the judge's question regarding the relocation agreement, stating that General Aksentijević had agreed with UNPROFOR to move the Second Military District. He said that there was no 'other warring party' during the agreement.

Đurđević is an officer and a journalist, as he introduced himself to the Court of BiH, and he is also the author of an interview with war criminal Radislav Krstić, published in 1995 under the title 'Podrinje is finally free'. This interview was created after the genocide in Srebrenica, and in the article, Krstić boasts about his 'achievements'. This article was used in The Hague as evidence during the trial of Krstić, who was the commander of the Drina Corps.

Today, this article was presented to Đurđević, and he confirmed his authorship.

The trial in this case continues on July 3, 2024, and in addition to Ejup Ganić, as the first defendant, the indictment also charges Zaim Backović, Hamid Bahto, Hasan Efendić, Fikret Muslimović, Jusuf Pušina, Bakir Alispahić, Enes Bezdrob, Ismet Dahić, and Mahir Žiška, and the BiH Prosecutor's Office is proving that the column was not a legitimate military target and that Alija Izetbegović was not captured, but a free man.