Seselj sets Croatian flag on fire

Seselj sets Croatian flag on fire

BELGRADE -- The Serb Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Seselj on Wednesday set on fire a Croatian flag in front of the Palace of Justice in Belgrade.

Seselj said he was in this way producing his answer to Croatian state officials who, as he said, have been attacking him for the past month "as if a mace struck them in the head."

"I am sending a message to the Croatian Ustasha state," Seselj said as he set the flag on fire in front of reporters - and several hundred supporters who cheered him on.

The Higher Public Prosecution announced immediately that they had launched criminal proceedings against him for burning the flag.

Seselj and other party officials and supporters gathered at the Palace of Justice ahead of the resumption of the trial of deputy SRS leader Nemanja Sarovic, who has been charged for setting flags of "NATO, the EU, Kosovo, and the Unites States" on fire during a previous protest rally.

Seselj is due to testify in that trial and revealed that he would tell the court that the order to set those flags on fire came from him, and that party officials had to act on it.

The SRS president also ddressed those gathered in front of the Palace of Justice today. Reporters saw "very strong police forces" deployed at the site.

Speaking about the Hague Tribunal's decision to order him back in prison, Seselj said he on Wednesday received the document in Serbian, and repeated he would not surrender voluntarily.

Asked to comment on Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's remark that he would not be arrested "forcibly" Seselj asked, "what other kind of arrest is there."

He announced he would not cooperate and would offer passive resistance, while those...