WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2355/98 by Olivier DUPUIS to the Commission. Financial transactions carried out by Mr Karadzic
Date: 1998-07-13
Institutions: DUPUIS, European Parliament
Subjects: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, capital transfer, peacekeeping, the EU's international role, war crime

C 31/140

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.2.1999

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(15 September 1998)

Among the objectives of cooperation between Mauritania and the Community are the consolidation of democracy
and the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Over the last few years Mauritania has made very serious efforts to improve on the previous situation in these
respects, and there has been substantial progress towards democratisation.

Under the country(cid:146)s laws and constitution, slavery has been abolished, even if it must be acknowledged that
through the persistence of certain old customs, in certain areas if not slavery, a form of labour which very closely
resembles it, is still practised.

Under the LomØ Convention and the national indicative programme for Mauritania, financing is provided
specifically to consolidate the rule of law, and a support programme for reform of civil status and a general census
will shortly be submitted to the relevant decision-making bodies of the Community.

(1999/C 31/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2355/98

by Olivier Dupuis (ARE) to the Commission

(13 July 1998)

Subject: Financial transactions carried out by Mr Karadzic

According to a report which appeared in the Banja Luka weekly Nezavisne Novine and was taken up in the
Corriere della Sera of 22 June 1998, DM 17 million (the equivalent of Lire 17 March 1997 from the National Bank
of the Republika Srpska (the Serb Republic) to the Nuova Banca di Credito di Trieste (also known under the
Slovene name of Trzaska Kreditna Banka); this transfer of funds seems to have been carried out by henchmen of
the war criminal Radovan Karadzic shortly before they were obliged to hand over the government of the Serb
Republic to the (cid:145)moderates(cid:146) of the current Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik. The enormous capital sum transferred
is assumed to consist either of the proceeds of the looting carried out by the Bosnian Serbs in the course of their
(cid:145)ethnic cleansing(cid:146) drive or of funds misappropriated from the Serb Republic.

In view of the foregoing, what information can the Commission obtain concerning the activities of the
Liechtenstein-based company Sarnos Establishment, which seems to be used by the (cid:145)Karadzic clan(cid:146) as a cover
for capital transfers?

What information can the Commission obtain concerning the activities of the Rome-based International institute
for political and economic research on cooperation and development (Ispeco), headed by Mr Gianfranco
Oliverio, which appears to have emerged in June 1995 as a political and economic pressure group lobbying on
behalf of Radovan Karadzic in Italy?

What action does the Commission intend to take to prevent, in future, any direct or indirect collusion or
connivance with the war criminal Radovan Karadzic and to strengthen the European institutions(cid:146) cooperation
with the ad hoc Tribunal dealing with war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(14 September 1998)

The Commission has been informed of the articles that have appeared in the Italian press regarding the financial
transactions said to have been effected by Mr Karadzic. It has, unfortunately, no further information nor the
resources to investigate the truth of the acts that are alleged.

Nevertheless, the Commission would like to recall that it suspended in 1997 its assistance operations in Republika
Srpska, following similar accounts involving suspected war criminals. It has from the outset taken the view and
repeatedly made it well known that those suspected of war crimes should be held accountable and answer for their
deeds and be brought to justice in order to ensure lasting peace and stability in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Through its budget the Community is supporting the activities of the International Criminal Court.