[ALBSA-Info] Milosevic may choose to go to The Hague--minister

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Milosevic may choose to go to The Hague--minister
  
VIENNA, April 2 (Reuters) - Serbia's interior minister said on Monday that 
former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic might choose to go to The Hague 
to face war crimes charges in order to avoid the death penalty at home. 

Dusan Mihajlovic, in a brief interview with Austria's ORF television after 
his arrival for an official visit to Austria, added that the discomfort of 
Belgrade prisons might be a further incentive for Milosevic. 

"He will certainly come to a court hearing in Belgrade and perhaps he may 
wish to be handed over to The Hague," Mihajlovic said. 

When the interviewer questioned whether the former Yugoslav ruler would 
really choose to go to the international war crimes tribunal voluntarily, 
Mihajlovic replied: 

"There is an essential difference between The Hague and Serbia. Serbian 
criminal law envisages the death penalty. Also the prisons in Serbia are far 
from being very comfortable." 

Milosevic, arrested in Belgrade on Sunday after a standoff with security 
forces, was indicted by the Hague Tribunal in 1999 for alleged atrocities 
against Kosovo Albanians. 

Justice authorities in Serbia have not so far accused Milosevic of any 
offence serious enough to carry the death penalty. He currently faces charges 
of corruption and criminal conspiracy. 

However, many of his opponents have accused him of involvement in politically 
motivated killings, which could in theory result in the death penalty. The 
penalty has not, though, been carried out in Serbia for many years. 

Mihajlovic, speaking through an interpreter, said Milosevic had hoped to 
encourage destabilisation in Serbia which could have paved the way for a 
comeback. 

"These were just dreams of Milosevic. He hoped there would be a 
destabilisation of democratic forces in Serbia. He hoped that in the 
difficult economic and social conditions there would be unrest among the 
population. He hoped he would get the support of his party friends," the 
minister said. 

"His hopes were not fulfilled. Milosevic is today in prison and Serbia is 
free."