ICJ: We Can Hear Croatia's Genocide Case Against Serbia
The decision announced by the UN highest court in the Hague on Tuesday, Sept. 18, was a narrow one.
"The court ... by 10 votes to seven finds that ... the court has the jurisdiction to entertain the application by the Republic of Croatia," said presiding judge Rosalyn Higgins.
Croatian Minister of Justice Ivan Simonovic said he was very happy about the judgement.
"We won in round one," Simonovic told a Croatian daily newspaper. "Now we have round two and that is to prove genocide in Croatia,"
Croatia lodged its complaint against Serbia in 1999. Zagreb said that Serbian participation in the Croatian War of 1991-1995 amounted to "a form of genocide which resulted in large numbers of Croatian citizens being displaced, killed, tortured, or illegally detained as well as extensive property destruction."
Croatia has estimated that some 20,000 people lost their lives in the conflict.
Belgrade had argued that the ICJ did not have jurisdiction over the complaint.
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"The court ... by 10 votes to seven finds that ... the court has the jurisdiction to entertain the application by the Republic of Croatia," said presiding judge Rosalyn Higgins.
Croatian Minister of Justice Ivan Simonovic said he was very happy about the judgement.
"We won in round one," Simonovic told a Croatian daily newspaper. "Now we have round two and that is to prove genocide in Croatia,"
Croatia lodged its complaint against Serbia in 1999. Zagreb said that Serbian participation in the Croatian War of 1991-1995 amounted to "a form of genocide which resulted in large numbers of Croatian citizens being displaced, killed, tortured, or illegally detained as well as extensive property destruction."
Croatia has estimated that some 20,000 people lost their lives in the conflict.
Belgrade had argued that the ICJ did not have jurisdiction over the complaint.