Živković: Karadžić verdict should be a beginning of the future, with remembrance of the past

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - I think that the decision in the case of Radovan Karadžić surprised no one, neither in Sarajevo nor in Belgrade, nor in the entire region, said Zoran Živković, MP of the New Party in the Assembly of Serbia, former Minister of Internal Affairs of Serbia, who briefly served as Prime Minister of that country.

“Undoubtedly, in the 1990s there were many war crimes, on all sides. Certainly there were some in BiH and they were certainly committed by the then authorities of the Republika Srpska and under command responsibility, it is logical that the then president is also guilty. Slobodan Milošević would have met the same fate; had he lived to see a verdict, he would certainly have been convicted for what he did outside Serbia, as well as for what he did in Serbia,” said Živković for the Dnevnik program of Federal Television.

He added that such a verdict should not be a source of new hostilities.

“The verdict should be a beginning of the future, with remembrance of the past,” believes Živković.

Asked how alive the matrix that led to the crimes of the 1990s is in Serbia, Živković states that it exists, but is much weaker than it was then.

Commenting on Serbia's foreign policy towards BiH, Živković says that “it is Serbia's obligation to support the territorial integrity of BiH and that special ties with the RS should not serve to undermine BiH.”

“The future of the peoples of the region should be like the future of the peoples in Europe,” believes Živković.

Regarding the frequent meetings between Milorad Dodik and Aleksandar Vučić, Živković explains that Dodik needs Vučić, and Vučić needs Dodik to show concern for Serbs in the region.

“I remind you that where Milošević and Vučić defended Serbs, neither Serbs nor others fared well,” notes Živković.

On the influence of Russia, he says that “it wants to turn Serbia and the RS into a thorn in the West's side.”

He expects more energy from the protests in Serbia and that the job of changing the government must be completed.

Speaking about Kosovo, Živković says that a final solution should be negotiated and that war criminals from Priština and war mongers from Belgrade cannot lead to a solution.