Veselin Sljivancanin, a war criminal from the former Yugoslavia, will begin serving a prison sentence in Slovakia as of next year, private television channel Markíza reported in its evening newscast on December 18, the TASR newswire wrote.
According to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague, Sljivancanin is liable for a 1991 massacre in the Croatian town of Vukovar, with more than 250 people shot dead in the mass killing.
Markíza reported that, in line with international agreements, the ICTY had asked Slovakia to allow Sljivancanin to serve his sentence in Slovakia. The country has been chosen based on its cultural and linguistic proximity to Sljivancanin.
“However, the regional court must now decide on recognising the decision by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia,” said Slovak Justice Minister Viera Petríková as quoted by TASR.
“We've received the request concerned, Slovakia is ready to fulfill its international commitments, the prison facility is ready,” added Petríková. According to Markíza, Sljivancanin should be placed in a special wing in the prison in Leopoldov in Trnava region. Sljivancanin was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2007. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
