SERB MILOVAN PERIĆ ARRESTED AT CROATIAN ENTRY POINT, “TRADITIONAL HUNT FOR KRAJINA SERBS” BEGINS

BELGRADE, JUNE 13 /SRNA/ – Serb Milovan Perić from Valjevo was arrested at the Tovarnik border crossing while entering Croatia from Serbia on suspicion of war crimes, the Veritas Documentation - Information Centre announced, describing the move as a “traditional hunt for Krajina Serbs”.

Perić was arrested on Thursday, July 11, and the Centre linked the arrest to the beginning of the tourist season, when a “traditional hunt for Krajina Serbs” begins, sending a message to their compatriots that they are not welcome on their ancestral land.

According to Veritas, Perić left his native Lika with his family in August 1995 during Croatia’s Operation Storm and settled in Serbia. Since 2019 he has occasionally returned to his home region and begun restoring his abandoned property in the village of Tolić near Udbina.

Before his first return to Croatia, he reportedly checked with Croatian prosecution authorities whether any charges were filed against him, and the responses were negative.

Perić had no problems with Croatian law enforcement until Thursday, when he was arrested at the Tovarnik border crossing based on a police warrant.

Police transported him the same day to Korenica, from where he was brought on Friday before the County State Attorney in Rijeka, where he presented his defence, denying any involvement in the alleged crime.

“The prosecutor, routinely, proposed pre-trial detention, which was also routinely accepted by the investigating judge, who ordered detention on two grounds: risk of fleeing to Serbia and influence on the alleged victim-witness,” Veritas stated.

Veritas stressed the incident has caused concern among Serbs in the Udbina area, where Perić originates from, as well as more broadly, especially since none of them believe he committed the act he is accused of.

According to Veritas records, since July last year eight Serbs have been arrested for alleged war crimes - four in Croatia and four outside Croatia, two of whom were extradited to Croatia.

Based on European arrest warrants and international warrants issued by Croatian judicial authorities, at least 205 Serbs have been arrested worldwide for serious crimes such as war crimes, 85 of whom have been extradited to Croatia, according to the same records.

Currently, 28 Serbs are held in Croatian prisons on war crimes charges; 16 have been finally convicted, while others are under investigation, indictment, or awaiting final judgments.

The Rijeka-based portal “burin.hr” reported that, by decision of the investigating judge of the Rijeka County Court, Milovan Perić /72/ from Valjevo, a citizen of Serbia and Croatia, was placed in prison in Rijeka due to suspicion of committing war crimes against civilians in Podudbina 34 years ago.