Sobranie Passes Law on Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal

06 June 2007

In spite of the opposition of a number of MPs and their fear that it might reopen the old wounds from the 2001 conflict, the Sobranie of the Republic of Macedonia (the Parliament) adopted the Law on Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal at its session of yesterday, May 5, 2007.

Some MPs from the opposition didn�t find a reason for such a Law, having in mind that the cooperation with ICTY is as good as ever, while DUI demanded that the four cases from 2001 involving the leadership of former National Liberation Army (NLA) are deleted from the Law.

In their view, Macedonia has neither the jurisdiction nor capacity to process those cases, and claimed that the return of the cases is opposed to the 2002 Law on Amnesty.

In their view, the four cases should be processed in the Hague, not by Macedonian courts. On the other hand, the ICTY already reviewed those cases and announced that they will return to Macedonia.

DUI�s amendments were dismissed as unfound by the Ministry of Justice, which explained that Macedonia can�t introduce double standards in its treatment of international law.