The Hague

Some of around 250 representatives of Bosnian war victims' associations who travelled to the UN court for Karadzic's verdict told BIRN on Thursday that they wanted him to be punished.

The UN war crimes court in The Hague will deliver its most highly-anticipated verdict on Thursday in the case against former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic, accused of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Visiting Serbia on Tuesday, the head of the German parliament's committee for European issues, Gunther Krichbaum, urged Croatia and Serbia to resolve their disputes bilaterally.

He spoke after Croatia signalled that it might block Serbia from opening Chapter 23 in its accession talks, dealing with the judiciary and fundamental rights.

The UN court in The Hague said Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj does not have to be present for his war crimes verdict this month, despite its previous demand for him to return.

Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj, whose war crimes verdict is due this month, said he expected the UN court in The Hague to give him a harsh sentence.

Vojislav Seselj on Tuesday reiterated that he would not voluntarily travel to the Hague Tribunal for the reading of the verdict in his war crimes trial.

He added that he "learned that his sentence will be draconian - but still lower than that of Radovan Karadzic."

Representatives of Croatia and Slovenia will meet again at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, PCA, in The Hague on Thursday to try and resolve their issues over maritime borders in the Piran Gulf, off the two neighbouring countries' coasts - a dispute that dates back to the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Members of Slobodan Milosevic’s Socialist Party and Serbian nationalists mourned the former Yugoslav president a decade after he died in prison in The Hague during his trial for war crimes.

War crimes defendant Vojislav Seselj burned the EU and NATO flags in front of Belgrade’s Special Court in protest after a hearing about his extradition to The Hague was postponed.

Serbian Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic said on Wednesday he "does not know whether Vojislav Seselj will be in The Hague on March 31."

The Hague Tribunal has scheduled the reading of the verdict for that day in the Seselj war crimes trial.