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| The Minister of Justice of Montenegro Marko Kovač in a speech, source: REL |
The Minister of Justice of Montenegro, Marko Kovač, has refused to extradite Serbian citizen Momčillo Vukotić, 61 years old, suspected of war crimes in the Peja region in 1999, as confirmed by the Montenegrin Ministry for Radio Free Europe.
According to the ministry, the legal conditions for extradition have been met, but Minister Kovač rejected his extradition, believing that it violates the European Convention on Human Rights.
"In the decision of the Special Prosecutor's Office of Kosovo to initiate investigations, it is not stated what actions Vukotić has taken, which are part of criminal acts, but it is said that after 24 years, a witness has allegedly identified him from his photograph in an album," the Ministry stated, REL reports.
Vukotić was arrested on September 25, and an extradition detention order was issued against him.
He was sought by Interpol through UNMIK, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, on suspicion of war crimes against the civilian population.
Kosovo does not have direct links with Interpol but communicates through UNMIK.
Following his arrest, one of the leaders of the recently dissolved pro-Russian and pro-Serbian Democratic Front, Milan Knežević, called on the technical government of Dritan Abazović not to participate in the arrest of Serbs and Montenegrins displaced from Kosovo.
"This will further destabilize the already bad political situation in Montenegro," Knežević said.
He called on all Serbs and Montenegrins displaced in Montenegro to contact his party so that they can offer any assistance and protection.
Knežević considered the arrests of these individuals as "terrorism against the Serbian people that is trying to spread in Montenegro."
Since the end of the war in Kosovo, about 70 individuals have been convicted of war crimes before local and international institutions.
From 2000 to 2008, war crimes in Kosovo were investigated by the United Nations Mission, while since 2008, the European Union Rule of Law Mission has been responsible for investigating war crimes.