Bosnian Serbs vs. NATO: The Fight for Justice Begins

Serbian lawyer Srdjan Aleksić is one of the initiators of the proceedings. He gave an interview to Sputnik Serbia where he mentioned that the cities of Hadžići and Han Pijesak and their nearby areas were bombed with such munitions in 1995. Because of the bombings, over 2,000 people have contracted cancer, many of whom have since passed away. So far, over 10,000 citizens are on the list of cancer patients.

The RS authorities act together with two law firms headed by Srdjan Aleksić and Angelo Tartaglia (an Italian lawyer). For many years, Aleksić has been involved in major legal battles, representing Serbian people who contracted cancer due to the depleted uranium bombings during the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999.

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Tartaglia represents Italian cancer patients who served in the Balkans (Kosovo, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Nenad Stevandić (current speaker of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska) and Aleksić met with Tartaglia in Italy, where the lawyer has won over 350 lawsuits linked to health risks affecting more than 8,000 Italian soldiers. Tartaglia was able to prove the connection between the NATO bombing and existing cancer cases.

Specific Action

Aleksić told Sputnik that he plans to meet with Tartaglia in Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) next week. The lawyers intend to discuss cancer cases, which they believe, were caused by the use of depleted uranium shells.

“First we have to run some tests in Italy, similar to the ones Angelo Tartaglia has done. We are looking at nanotechnology facilities in either Turin or Rome. The next step is to carry out examinations in the RS based on the results of the tests. The procedure in Banja Luka and other populated towns in the RS or Bosnia and Herzegovina will follow shortly. We will have more details after the meeting. After the talks, we will inform the public on our methods and strategies,” said Aleksić.

When asked whether the lawsuits would be filed against certain countries involved in the bombings, Aleksić replied that they would discuss it, as well as the legal framework for the potential steps. Aleksić added that a suitable solution based on international law requires joint and tedious work with lawyers from the RS, Serbia and Italy.

Fighting the Enemy

Srdjan Perišić, an expert on international relations, told Sputnik Serbia that the RS is finally doing what it should have done a long time ago. In his opinion, the authorities had a number of concerns in regards to such legal pursuits in the past. However, the newfound strength of the government speaks of its determination to finally publicly name its number one enemy, the United States.

“We need to realize that we can tell friend from foe through politics. If a single nation or a country fails to do that, they cannot shape their strategic policy; therefore, no strategic decisions can be made. As we can see, today the RS has identified its friends and enemies, resulting in the lawsuits against NATO. So that all those who have caught malignant diseases due to the bombings receive their fair compensation,” said Perišić.

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Perišić believes that the RS has launched the legal procedure because of its growing pushback against the West. The country’s very existence relies on it. The expert points out that government must show that it cares about its citizens, and this concern implies filing of lawsuits against NATO.

Bosnian Serbs vs. NATO: Fight for Justice Begins

Specific Action

Fighting the Enemy