The prosecution alleges that the contents of Christmas cards Milan Martic sent to high-ranking officials in Serbia and FRY prove the existence of a joint criminal enterprise aimed at creating an ethnically pure Serb state. Both the senders and recipients of the cards took part in the enterprise and worked hard on the implementation of its goals


During the testimony of an insider witness from Krajina, protected by pseudonym JF-039, the prosecution tendered into evidence several Christmas cards, contending that they show the links and ‘intentions’ of participants of the joint criminal enterprise listed in the indictment against former chiefs of the Serbian state security service, Jovica Stanisic and Franko Simatovic. The cards were sent by the then president of the Republic of Serbian Krajina, Milan Martic, to the accused Jovica Stanisic, and Slobodan Milosevic, Radovan Karadzic, Momcilo Krajisnik, and the presidents of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic and of Montenegro, Momir Bulatovic.

The text of the Christmas cards reads: ‘Last year, 1994, has been characterised by efforts to achieve united views towards a common goal – the creation of a united Serbian state. Hoping that in the year 1995, we will be striving for the same goals, I send you the most cordial wishes for the coming Christmas and New Year holidays. Happy New Year 1995.’ In his Christmas card to Slobodan Milosevic, Martic made an additional effort and concluded by writing, ‘May the new 1995 be a year of prosperity and peace for the Serbian people.’

As the prosecution decided to tender Martic’s Christmas cards into evidence, it is apparent that it believes they are direct evidence of the basic objectives of the joint criminal enterprise Stanisic and Simatovic are charged with: the creation of a united Serb state that was to include parts of Croatia and BH. As alleged in the indictment, ‘the non-Serb population was forcibly and permanently eliminated’ from those areas. The prosecutor contends that the participants of the joint criminal enterprise ‘strove’ towards that goal from 1991 to 1995. Martic’s cards confirm this allegation.

Since the New Year’s Day in 1995, all the people who took part in the exchange of the season’s greetings have ended in The Hague, in various capacities. Milan Martic is currently serving his 35-year sentence in an Estonian prison. Momcilo Krajisnik, sentenced to 20 years, is in prison in Great Britain. Jovica Stanisic and Radovan Karadzic are on trial at the Tribunal. Slobodan Milosevic died in March 2006 in the UN Detention Unit before his trial ended. Zoran Lilic and Momir Bulatovic appeared as witnesses in several cases. Bulatovic, however, was mentioned in some indictments as a participant of the joint criminal enterprise.

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