President: ICJ "confirmed crime against Serbs"

President: ICJ "confirmed crime against Serbs"

BELGRADE -- Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic says Croatia "failed to prove that the Serbian side had any intent to commit genocide during the 1991-95 war in Croatia."

On the other hand, he said on Tuesday in the wake of the ICJ ruling, "even though Serbia's counter-claim has been rejected, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that Croatia had committed a mass crime against Serbs."

In his address to the public following the reading of the judgment, Nikolic stressed that Croatia had failed to prove the genocidal intent of the Serbian side in the conflict.

"On the other hand, although Serbia's counter-claim has not been adopted, the ICJ found that the Croatian authorities had been aware that the military offensive 'Storm' would lead to the expulsion of the civilian population. In this way, the highest legal institution of the United Nations confirmed that the Croatian forces committed mass crimes against Serbs in Croatia," Nikolic said.

"Despite the injustices, this is an encouraging step forward," the president stressed.

"I sincerely hope that in time to come, both Serbia and Croatia will be brave enough to act in good faith, resolving all issues together, to bring our region into a period of lasting peace and prosperity," Nikolic said.

In Croatia, the country's president-elect, Kolindar Grabar-Kitarovic, said that the judgment "showed clearly who was the aggressor and who the victim," blaming the Serb side.

Download the summary of the ICJ judgment