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Yugoslav Forces Deny Protection of Milosevic's Safety
The General Staff of Yugoslav Armed Forces denied on Wednesday that the army is still protecting the personal safety of former president Slobodan Milosevic.
The general staff's press center said in a statement that the Yugoslav forces are responsible for the protection of military establishments and positions of special significance to state security. The mansion of Milosevic is such a place, the center said.
In response to some political parties' criticism that the Yugoslav forces are still protecting Milosevic, the statement said the forces protected the mansion, not Milosevic. His personal safety in or out the house is not the business of the armed forces, it said.
The Yugoslav government is facing pressure from the West to extradite Milosevic, who has been indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague. But President Vojislav Kostunica has insisted that Milosevic should be tried at home first.
Seven key allies of Milosevic, including former foreign minister Zivadin Jovanovic, were detained on Monday. They were accused of helping Milosevic obtain a house by fraud in Belgrade's upmarket Dedinje district at the end of his term. Analysts believe the investigation of the seven could help judicial officials build a case against Milosevic.
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