ŽUPLJANIN: "DOBROVOLJAČKA" CASE AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS AGAINST BOSNIAKS ARE BEING DELAYED

BANJA LUKA, FEBRUARY 18 /SRNA/ - The President of the Organisation of Officers of the Army of Republika Srpska /VRS/ Slobodan Župljanin told SRNA that proceedings before the Court of BiH against those accused of attacking a JNA column in Dobrovoljačka Street in Sarajevo in 1992 are being deliberately prolonged, thereby obstructing the attainment of justice for the victims, which, he said, will evidently continue as long as the perpetrators are biologically alive.

"These proceedings, in which members of the Bosniak people are accused, are moving very slowly. The defendants and their defence teams are using all permitted and non-permitted means to delay the process, with the aim of ultimately avoiding a conviction and prolonging the trial as long as possible," Župljanin said. According to him, this obstructs justice for the victims in Dobrovoljačka Street. "This is a strategy devised long ago to blame only the accused from among the Serbian people for everything that happened during the past war, even though from the very beginning it has been clear to everyone what really happened and what the only truth is," Župljanin stressed. He pointed out that such conduct destroys even the little hope that remains for possible overall reconciliation and coexistence in BiH. "Only when justice is equally attainable for all victims, regardless of which people they belong to, will it be possible to build coexistence, reconciliation and trust. Otherwise, the chances for the survival of BiH are reduced to a minimum," Župljanin said. A hearing in the case "Ejup Ganić et al.", who are charged with attacking the JNA column in Dobrovoljačka Street in May 1992, has been scheduled before the Court of BiH for today. The main trial in this case began in October 2022, and postponements of hearings have been frequent, explained by various reasons. Among the accused are Ejup Ganić, as a member of the Presidency of the then Republic of BiH; Zaim Backović, as a member of the operations centre of the Territorial Defence Staff; and Jusuf Pušina, as assistant minister of the interior and chief of staff of the Ministry of the Interior. Also charged with the attack on the column, killings, wounding and abuse of JNA members and civilians are Hamid Bahto, Fikret Muslimović, Bakir Alispahić, Enes Bezdrob and Ismet Dahić, who held high political, military and police positions.