EP passes resolution on Seselj

STRASBOURG - The European Parliament passed on Thursday a resolution on leader of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) Vojislav Seselj after a one-hour debate, calling on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to re-examine the existence of requirements for provisional release under new circumstances, and urging the Serbian authorities to distance themselves from his statements.

Eduard Kukan, chairman of the EP delegation for relations with EU aspirants in the Balkans, said at the beginning of the debate that the draft resolution will increase the tensions in the region, instead of easing them, so he will not back it.

I understand fully the evil of wartime rhetoric and hate speech, especially in the Western Balkans, Kukan said, noting that the resolution attaches to Seselj the importance he does not deserve.

Because of that, and because of the fact that the resolution criticizes the independent court established by the United Nations Security Council, I will not support this resolution, Kukan said.

Bulgaria's MEP Angel Dzhamazki took a similar stand, stressing that, in his opinion, the Serbian authorities have already distanced themselves from Seselj, so there is no need for the resolution.

However, a majority of MEPs backed the resolution proposal, Croatia's MEPs being the most vocal, as the resolution was tabled for discussion on their initiative.

Croatian MEP Ruza Tomasevic said that this topic would not be discussed if the Serbian authorities had distanced themselves right away, and expressed her disappointment with the Tribunal's operations, qualifying them as inefficient and biased.

MEP Andrej Plenkovic said that it appears to him that Serbia's top officials...