Vladimir Lazarević

The decision of the local assembly of Pantelej, a municipality of the city of Nis, the biggest city in southern Serbia, to make a convicted war criminal, Vladimir Lazarevic, an honorary citizen is not surprising and represents part of the "petty political game" of the ruling party, NGO activists told BIRN.

The European Union condemned Serbia’s decision to name a convicted war criminal, general Vladimir Lazarevic, as a lecturer at the national military academy.

Retired Yugoslav Army (VS) General Vladimir Lazarevic is on Thursday holding his first lecture at the Military Academy in Belgrade.

Lazarevic is a former commander of the Pristina Corps and the VJ Third Army, who was found guilty by the Hague Tribunal for command responsibility for war crimes.

Serbia’s defence minister said that former Yugoslav Army officer Vladimir Lazarevic, who served a sentence for war crimes in Kosovo and will now teach cadets at the Military Academy, should be a ‘role model’.

Critics said that Serbian officials’ celebration of former Yugoslav Army official Vladimir Lazarevic’s homecoming after he served his sentence for war crimes in Kosovo was shameful.

Former Yugoslav Army (VS) General Vladimir Lazarevic has been released after serving two thirds of his 14-year prison sentence.

Lazarevic, who was put on trial and convicted by the Hague Tribunal, arrived at the airport in Nis, southern Serbia, at about 14:00 CET on Thursday.

Former Yugoslav Army official Vladimir Lazarevic, released early after serving his sentence for Kosovo war crimes, was given a hero’s welcome after being flown home by two senior Serbian ministers.

Former Yugoslav Army official Vladimir Lazarevic, who was convicted of war crimes in Kosovo, will be given early release next month by the UN court in The Hague.