SELAK: IT IS UNLIKELY THAT 55,000 CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS CAN BE PROCESSED; SRPSKA HAS TAKEN CERTAIN STEPS

BANJA LUKA, SEPTEMBER 1 /SRNA/ - Commenting on reports that 55,000 criminal complaints had been filed against Serbs over posts concerning General Ratko Mladić, Republika Srpska Minister of Justice Goran Selak said that it was difficult to process such a large number of cases, but that Republika Srpska had already taken certain steps.

Selak said it was difficult to expect such a large number of complaints to be processed, which is why the very act of filing them further demonstrates the problematic nature of such a measure. "Filing 55,000 complaints when you know they cannot be processed simply renders this type of criminal offence meaningless. It is a verbal offence, but this best illustrates the state BiH is in," Selak told reporters in Banjaluka. He added that this also demonstrates the absurdity of the provision of the Criminal Code of BiH imposed by former High Representative Valentin Inzko. Selak said that Republika Srpska had already taken certain steps to analyse the implementation of these provisions and the way judicial institutions are handling cases to which they apply. "We have already held an expert conference concerning this criminal offence, which is a verbal offence. We requested an analysis from the Court of BiH and the Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH to determine how many people have been indicted, how many indictments have been confirmed, and who those individuals are, whether they are Serbs, Croats or Bosniaks," Selak said. He added that, according to data obtained by the Republika Srpska Ministry of Justice, cases in which indictments were brought against Serbs had been treated differently. "Unfortunately, we have found that indictments brought against Serbs are the only ones that are confirmed and processed," Selak said. Selak stressed that this issue must be addressed at the institutional level and that the application of all disputed provisions needs to be examined.