News 23 Apr 10

Batko 'Wants to Be Extradited to Montenegro'

Veselin Vlahovic, known as the Monster from Grbavica, does not want to be extradited to Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia, but to Montenegro, Bosnian media report.

The final decision by the court in Spain, where he was arrested and is being detained, will be made next week, according to Sarajevo daily Dnevni Avaz.

Vlahovic said in the courtroom that he does not recognise the court in Bosnia. He also denied that he is responsible for any crimes committed in Sarajevo during the war.

The State Prosecution in Bosnia believes that Vlahovic committed a number of war crimes in the Grbavica area in Sarajevo during the war and want him to be prosecuted before the war crimes chamber of the state court.  

Vlahovic is also wanted by Serbia in connection to a 2001 murder for which he was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison. In addition, he is sought by Montenegro, his birthplace, after escaping from prison in 2001, where he was being held after convictions for robbery.

He was arrested in the beginning of March in Spain, where he allegedly committed a number of crimes, including armed robbery and police assault, as well as using false documents.

Zeljana Zovko, the Bosnian ambassador to Spain, told Dnevni Avaz that after the court decision is made, the whole case will go to the government.

“We are in touch with the prosecution and Ministry of Justice in Spain and they are informed as to why we think it is important to have Vlahovic extradited to Bosnia. It is important that we fulfil all the obligations and follow the procedures,” Zovko said.

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Background

Timeline – Cuska Case

Timeline of events in the case against 13 former Serb fighters charged with committing war crimes in the villages of Cuska, Zahac, Ljubenic and Pavlac in Kosovo in 1999.

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