EUobserver

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Amendments to a controversial law in Serbia and Montenegro look likely to pave the way for the two countries to rejuvenate co-operation with the war crimes tribunal in the Hague; fresh indictments are expected as a result. The move comes as the Foreign Minister calls on the EU to give an approximate date for accession to the Union.

Serbia and Montenegro on Friday, amended a law governing co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal (ICTY), heralding increased co-ordination with the body, based in the Hague. This came shortly after it had been lambasted by the ICTY, and the European Union.

The offending Article (39) had meant that any person indicted after the law came into effect, almost a year ago, could not be extradited. The law has now been amended, stripped of its time limitations, leaving the way open for further indictments.

"Several new indictments can be expected", Goran Svilanovic, Serbia and Montenegro's foreign minister said on Friday.

This statement was followed up Monday by a statement saying that he would be willing to extradite former state security service chief Jovica Stanisic and commander of the Red Berets Franko "Frenki" Simatovic.

Illegal
Article 39 had been criticised by many parties as illegal. Last October Judge Claude Jorda, President of the ICTY, issued a letter in which he said Article 39 "contravenes international obligations".

In their annual report on the stabilisation and association process in Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, the European Commission also castigated the Balkan union, describing co-operation as "slow, reluctant and insufficient".

The amended law must now be confirmed by the parliament, and is expected to do so within a fortnight.

The move has been broadly welcomed. Judith Armatta of the Coalition for International Justice told the EUobserver that it "showed renewed willingness to co-operate with the Hague... and at a very crazy time for them" referring to last months assassination of the Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.

It was feared that Mr Djindjic's assassination could be related to his willingness to support ICTY, in spite of resistance from some areas of the military and establishment, a fear reflected in the Article which will replace the old one.

According to the Foreign Ministry the revised law will have a safeguard to ensure that if fulfilling demands of the tribunal threaten internal security, or interests of the state, the country can lodge an appeal.

"I think this [change] is more to do with the local political situation than anything else" said Ms Armatta.

Accession
The move comes as Serbia and Montenegro's Foreign Minister Svilanovic announced that he will - at a meeting of EU and south Eastern countries in Belgrade this week - press the EU to give an approximate date for accession to the Union, according to a press release from the Foreign Ministry.

In an interview with Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti on Sunday, Mr Svilanovic asked the EU to begin a feasibility study, the first step towards opening negotiations on a stabilisation and association agreement, the completion of which is itself a major step towards acceding to the EU.

SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO MOVES TOWARDS EU