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In 2015, Dragan Vasiljković, commander of a Serbian paramilitary unit during the Yugoslav Wars, was extradited from Australia to Croatia to face war crimes charges. He was convicted in 2017 and released earlier this year. It’s been reported he’s now running for office in Serbia. https://twitter.com/onlinedanas/status/1264215155107381249
Vasiljković - or “Captain Dragan” as he was known - was found guilty of torturing and beating Croatian prisoners. Some of his victims were questioned during the trial. He denied all the charges and never expressed remorse.
He fought for almost a decade to prevent his extradition from Australia. He sued the newspaper, The Australian, that reported on his crimes: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-27/captain-dragan-vasiljkov-story-of-egon-scotland/8992726
When he was released from prison, he told a Serbian newspaper he was looking forward to eating strawberry ice cream. His supporters planned a party for him but it was apparently cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.
According to a 2008 report in the Sydney Morning Herald, he was ”the most popular figure in Serbia” in the 1990s. https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-battle-after-the-war-20081003-4tj7.html
It might seem strange to observers that a war criminal is running for office, and presumably thinks he can win, but there’s precedent.
It might seem strange to observers that a war criminal is running for office, and presumably thinks he can win, but there’s precedent.
In some ex-Yugo countries, convicted war criminals are revered as heroes and freedom fighters. When Croatian general Slobodan Praljak was found guilty of war crimes and famously committed suicide by poisoning in in 2017, the Prime Minister and President praised and defended him.
President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović refused to revoke Praljak’s military honours, and a candlelight vigil held in Zagreb was attended by thousands, including several MPs. According to Youth Initiative for Human Rights, war criminals wield “political power”: https://balkaninsight.com/2019/12/17/war-criminals-given-respect-in-balkan-societies-activists-warn/
According to YIHR, in Serbia and Croatia, war criminals are “warmly welcomed” by figures in the government and church and are granted “special favours”.
So in short, given the role war criminals play in Balkan society, it’s unsurprising Dragan Vasiljković is running for office.
So in short, given the role war criminals play in Balkan society, it’s unsurprising Dragan Vasiljković is running for office.
(Oops, forgot to finish this thread...)
But what *will* be interesting is what might happen after Captain Dragan wins a seat in parliament. In Serbia, if you’ve been sentenced to more than six months in prison, you theoretically aren’t allowed to hold public office.
But what *will* be interesting is what might happen after Captain Dragan wins a seat in parliament. In Serbia, if you’ve been sentenced to more than six months in prison, you theoretically aren’t allowed to hold public office.
