Damir Habijan (archive), Photo: mpudt.gov.hr
Croatian Justice Minister Damir Habijan stated that a person arrested in Montenegro on a Croatian warrant is charged with war crimes against civilians in 1991 in the Grubišno Polje area.
He made this statement after some media outlets reported that Milorad Kovačević, who was convicted in Croatia for crimes against prisoners of war in the Dubrovnik area, had been arrested.
Habijan said in a video message that he expects the Montenegrin authorities to extradite the suspect, who was arrested on the basis of an international Interpol warrant at the request of the Zagreb County Court, the Hina news agency reported.
He added that the relevant ministry will provide Montenegro with the necessary documentation.
Habijan did not name the person who was arrested, but earlier, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman wrote on the Iks website that it was Milorad Kovačević.
Croatian diplomatic sources told Hina that these are two different people with the same name accused of crimes in two different areas.
Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman welcomed the arrest in Montenegro yesterday.
“This confirms that war crimes from the Homeland War do not expire and that the Croatian government will continue to consistently cooperate with all partners in their prosecution and punishment, wherever they are,” Grlić Radman wrote on the social network Iks.
He welcomed the cooperation between the competent authorities of the two countries on the case.
The Police Directorate announced yesterday that MK (61), who is wanted by Croatia for the criminal offense of war crimes against the civilian population, has been arrested.
News