NORWAY DONATED 200.000 EUROS FOR WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATIONS IN SREBRENICA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 23,2008) – Norway donated 200.000 Euros for the support of the team No. 6, designated for the Special War Crimes Unit which deals with investigations and processing of cases in the area of the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica.

At the signing ceremony in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, the Norwegian Ambassador to Bosnia Jan Braath stated that this donation is forwarded through the Registrars Office and it provides additional help for the Bosnian State Prosecutor’s Office for the crime processing in the Srebrenica area.

”More that 12 years after the war, we are unfortunately in the situation that those who committed war crimes still walk freely through the streets of Srebrenica and other cities in Bosnia. This is not acceptable and it is high time that something is done not only regarding the investigation of these crimes but also on their processing”, stated Ambassador Braath, adding that he personally believes this is important for the genocide victims from Srebrenica, as well as those who are charged of war crimes.

Registrar for special departments of the Bosnian State Prosecutor Dubravka Piotrovski stated that war crimes investigation which occurred in Srebrenica and prosecution of those responsible are the priority for the Bosnian State Prosecutor's Office.

She mentioned that recently the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR), on this occasion sent a letter of request for help to international community and that the Norwegian government was among first which answered to this appeal.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor Marinko Jurcevic pointed out that this donation as well as previous one by the Swiss Government shall help in building the capacities for the investigation in Srebrenica. It is expected that this will help to open a prosecutor field office in Srebrenica.

Team No. 6 of the Special War Crimes Unit investigates crimes which occurred in the region of Srebrenica from the beginning till the end of the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia. It is consisted of 8 to 10 professionals working on crime investigation. Donation from the Norwegian Government shall be used to expand the team with expert advisors and investigators.