Boskovski and Tarculovski to Remain at The Hague

25/07/2005

The Judiciary Council of The Hague tribunal has rejected the bail requests for former Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski and former security official Johan Tarculovski. The Council said that Boskovski has fled Macedonia in the past, and Tarculovski could influence witnesses.

By Marina Stojanovska for Southeast European Times in Skopje - 25/07/05

Former Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski's bail request was denied by the Judicial Council of The Hague tribunal. [File]

Former Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski and security official Johan Tarculovski will remain in detention until their trial begins, according to a decision on 18 July by The Hague tribunal's Judiciary Council. Macedonia had asked the Council on 4 July to release the two on bail. "The Macedonian government guarantees that the defendants will be available to The Hague tribunal if they are provisionally released and allowed to return to Macedonia," Justice Minister Meri Mladenovska-Gjorgjievska said.

According to Boskovski's lawyer, Dragan Godzo, his client's flight from Macedonia during an earlier case was the deciding factor in the denial. Boskovski, who has dual Macedonian and Croatian citizenship, faces charges in connection with the killing of six Pakistanis and one Indian by Macedonian police at Rastanski Lozja outside Skopje on 2 March 2002. The former interior minister fled to Croatia last year, but was arrested and detained in Pula.

Tarculovski's release was rejected because "there are not absolute guarantees that he would not put pressure on victims and witnesses," the Council said.

Boskovski's lawyer said he will appeal the Judiciary Council’s decision. "I was optimistic that Boskovski would be released, but apparently, the Council gave precedence to the arguments presented by the Prosecution Office," Godzo said.

"The reply to an appeal will depend on the Appeal Commission," Catina Turner, a spokesperson for The Hague tribunal said. She said the commission will rule on the appeal two weeks to a month after it is submitted.

Boskovski and Tarculovski are the only Macedonian war crimes indictees. Under a joint indictment that the tribunal released on 15 March, each faces three counts of violations of the laws or customs of war in connection with the 2001 interethnic conflict in Macedonia. The atrocities for which they have been charged were committed between 10 August and 12 August 2001, during a police raid on the village of Ljuboten.

Tarculovski was extradited to the Hague on 16 March and Boskovski on 24 March. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges.