Invitation to the presentation of the Dossier “The JNA in the wars in Croatia and Bosnia“

The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) will present its tenth dossier, entitled "The JNA in the wars in Croatia and Bosnia" (Dossier).

The topic of the latest HLC Dossier is the role of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) in the wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its transformation from the Yugoslav army into the Serbian army. The introductory part of the Dossier presents facts about the development of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, and the steps taken by the leadership of the Republic of Serbia, led by Slobodan Milosevic, in assuming control over the JNA, with the intention of using it to achieve its war aims.

The first part of the Dossier is about the role of the JNA in the war in Croatia. The evidence concerning the two phases of its operations is presented: the first, in which the joint Yugoslav Army separated the conflicting parties and created a buffer zone between them; and the second, in which the JNA openly gave its support to the Serb side, shelled Croatian towns and, together with units of the Krajina Police and paramilitary Serb groups, participated in combat against the armed forces of the Republic of Croatia, and in attacks on poorly defended or entirely undefended villages.

After withdrawing from Croatia during the first months of 1992, the JNA shifted the focus of its military activities to BiH. In the second part of the Dossier, the beginning of that war is described, with the JNA participating in the occupation of Bosnian-Herzegovinian municipalities, again in support of the Serb side and in cooperation with the Serbian Democratic Party from BiH. Municipalities in the occupation of which the JNA participated then became part of the war territory of the Republika Srpska. The Dossier also provides information about the transformation of JNA units into VRS (Republika Srpska Army) units, and the transfer of weapons, equipment and personnel to the Bosnian Serb army in the spring of 1992.

Press Conference
The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC)

Speakers:

• Nemanja Stjepanović, member of the HLC Executive Team

• prof. dr. sc. Dejan Jović, Full Professor, Faculty of Political Science of Zagreb University
• Jovana Kolarić, author of the Dossier, HLC
• Ivana Žanić, coordinator of the HLC Legal Team

Simultaneous translation into English is provided.

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