CHIEF PROSECUTOR GORAN SALIHOVIĆ MET WITH CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF THE ICTY SERGE BRAMMERTZ. SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN PROSECUTION OF CATEGORY 2 CASES

It is planned that all Category 2 cases be resolved by the end of the year.

Chief Prosecutor Brammertz was informed about the activities and progress achieved in  Category 2 cases at the meeting and it was concluded that significant progress was made in these cases  as well as that the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH has made plans and is working intensively to resolve all of these cases by the end of this year.

It was also pointed out at the meeting that the communication lines between the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and the ICTY Office of the Prosecutor’s will be open and constantly active even after the completion of work on Category 2 cases and that ways of further cooperation in the fight against the impunity of war crimes will be considered.

Intensified regional cooperation between the prosecutor’s offices in  prosecution of war crimes in the region was highlighted as it  has already delivered significant results where joint efforts have resulted in indictments and prosecutions of those responsible in two countries.

Chief Prosecutor Salihović informed the colleagues from ICTY about the difficulties in the work of the Special Department for War Crimes  caused by the disruption of engagement of 22 employees who were hired under the IPA project, the number which represents as much as 10% of the total capacity available to the Prosecutor’s Office, which is about 20 % of the capacity of the Special Department for War Crimes.

Chief Prosecutor Salihović has once again urged the BiH authorities to unblock the IPA processes and has asked Prosecutor Brammertz to use his authority to assist in solving this problem because the situation is harmful to war crimes victims.