Croatia decorates Bosnian wanted for war crimes by Serbia

Croatia decorates Bosnian wanted for war crimes by Serbia

ZAGREB -- Ivo Josipovic has decorated Ejup Ganic, whom Serbia charges with war crimes, and for whom the country has issued an international arrest warrant.

Ganic is a former Muslim member of the presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina during the 1992-95 war. In a ceremony this week, Josipovic, Croatia's outgoing president, said he was happy to "for the last time, present decorations to you who deserve them."

Ganic has been recognized for his contribution to promoting Croatia's international position and standing, and its relations with other countries, it has been announced in Zagreb.

Ganic said at the ceremony that the accolade was important to him, "noting that he supported Croatia's fight for independence, stressing that Serbia is the destroyer of Yugoslavia and the occupier of Bosnia-Herzegovina," Tanjug said in its report.

He said that he "does not feel safe to travel to Serbia, noting that Serbia is still the main problem in the Balkans," and that he "supports the stance that Croatia should condition Serbia's EU accession."

Ganic said that relations between the Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) and Croat communities are "strong," and that there was "no more turbulence between the countries."

"We are following the example of Croatia, which is an EU member," Ganic said for TV N1.

The Serbian Interior Ministry issued an arrest warrant for Ganic over the crimes committed in the attacks in downtown Sarajevo on a facility of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) in on May 2, 1992, and on May 3, 1992, during the troops' previously agreed retreat, when they were ambushed in Dobrovoljacka Street.

According to the data of the Interior Ministry of the...