BOSNIAN FORENSIC EXPERTS EXHUMED 1100 SKELETONS OF GENOCIDE VICTIMS IN 2007

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (December 25,2007) – Members of the Bosnian forensic teams exhumed 1.100 skeletons of genocide victims in 2007. The number of exhumations for this year was about 1.500; but the time spent in the process of exhumation of the remains from the Zeleni Jadar mass grave, as well as Budak and Kamenica 9 mass graves took a lot of time.At the Kamenica 9 mass grave (Zvornik municipality) skeletons of 616 Bosnian civilians,mass murdered by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in July 1995,were found.

”We were working for almost two months at the location. We managed to complete this enormous job. The Budak mass grave was also huge. We were conducting exhumations also on some other, smaller mass graves”, Murat Hurtic, Head of the Bosnian forensic team said.

Expert teams will not work in the field during the winter, but will plan exhumations for the following year. Tempo and the number of the bodies of genocide victims exhumed will stay the same as in the previous years – somewhere between 1.000 and 1.500 per year. There will be enough money for the job, Hurtic stated.

BOSNIAN STATE COURT CONFIRMED INDICTMENT AGAINST SERB WAR CRIMINAL GOJKO KLICKOVIC

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (December 25,2007) – The Bosnian State Court has confirmed the indictment against Serbian war criminal Gojko Klickovic, which charges him with having committed crimes against Bosnian civilians on the territory of the northwestern Bosnian town of Bosanska Krupa in 1992 during the early stages of the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The indictment alleges that Klickovic "planned, initiated, ordered and perpetrated" the attack on the territory of Bosanska Krupa, Bosanska Otoka and Ostruznica, when a large number of Bosnian civilians were murdered by the genocidal Serbian aggressor, while their houses were pillaged and set on fire.

According to the indictment, Serbian war criminal Gojko Klickovic was also responsible for criminal offences committed by his subordinates, whose acts he "could control in reality", and for having failed to undertake the necessary measures in order to punish the perpetrators of those crimes.

He is also charged with the detention of many Bosnian civilians who were held, in inhumane conditions, in "Jasenica" elementary school, "Petar Kocic" school and the concentration camp in Kamenica, in Drvar municipality, from April to November 1992.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor has proposed that 46 witnesses be examined, and that about 250 pieces of material evidence be presented.

LAJCAK MET WITH SIGNATORIES OF "EUROPE NOW" INITIATIVE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (December 25,2007) - The International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak and the Principle Deputy High Representative Raffi Gregorian met in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo with prominent Bosnian film directors, signatories of the “Europe Now” initiative.

Lajcak described the meeting with Danis Tanovic,Jasmila Zbanic, Ademir Kenovic, Srdan Vuletic, Haris Pasovic and Faruk Loncarevic as important for a number of reasons.

“They are the cultural ambassador of Bosnia in the world and I am happy that they are supporting Bosnia on its road towards the EU membership”, Lajcak said and added that cooperation with the Bosnian film directors in the process of European integrations will be continued in the future.

During the meeting with Lajcak, the Bosnian film directors demanded the international community to arrest war criminals.

“Police reform and all other positive developments in Bosnia would carry even greater significance if the war criminals were brought to justice. Such an act would give back dignity to all Bosnian citizens and confidence in better future”, Jasmila Zbanic said.

The “Europe Now” initiative is based on the demand for Bosnia to be given privileged status for accelerated accession to the EU and NATO.

SLOVENIA TO PROMOTE INTERESTS OF BOSNIA IN BRUSSELS

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia (December 25,2007) – The Slovenian Ambassador to Bosnia Natasa Vodusek said in the northern Bosnian city of Banja Luka that her country will fully support Bosnia in the processes which will result in signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Bosnia and the European Union during the presidency of Slovenia over the EU, which will begin January 1 2008.

”We are fully supportive of the European perspective of the West Balkan countries and we are willing to promote interests of Bosnia in Brussels”, the Slovenian Ambassador to Bosnia Natasa Vodusek stated.