Croatian Chief State Lawyer Ivan Turudic mentioned earlier than the burial service that the investigation into the homicide, suspended in 2019 as a consequence of Serbia’s lack of cooperation, had now been taken over by the French authorities.
“We issued a call to conduct an investigation into the homicide of Jean-Michel Nicolier in April 2018. We despatched a letter of request to Serbia to query Spasoje Petkovic, nicknamed Stuka, however this was not complied with,” Turudic recalled, including the preliminary proceedings had collected a press release through which Petkovic admitted killing Nicolier.
“Nevertheless, our request was not complied with by the Serbian aspect, as has been the case with quite a few different comparable requests,” mentioned Turudic, including that as this crime falls underneath the precept of common jurisdiction, France can prosecute him, as a result of Nicolier was a French citizen.
The French ambassador to Zagreb, Fabien Fieschi, recalled that the sufferer’s household had initiated proceedings in France, and {that a} choose has begun the method of cooperation with the judicial authorities in Croatia and Serbia.
“French police investigators had been in Croatia in September, the place they cooperated with Croatian authorities to acquire all the required parts for the investigation,” Fieschi mentioned.
Requested about cooperation with the Serbian authorities, the ambassador mentioned the French court docket had despatched a number of requests for cooperation to Serbia, however he couldn’t remark additional.
“Jean-Michel Nicolier could have a dignified burial within the metropolis the place he selected to remain till the top, alongside the opposite defenders. His household will lastly have a spot to grieve,” Fieschi informed BIRN, including that whereas Nicolier had died combating for Croatia, he was French – and “France doesn’t neglect its youngsters”.
Amongst these attending the funeral had been two Croatian ministers, Ivan Anusic and David Vlajcic, Vukovar Mayor Marijan Pavlicek, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ivan Penava, soccer coach Zlatko Dalic, former athletes Dubravko Simenc and Franjo Arapovic and the nationalist singer, Marko Perkovic Thompson.
The police haven’t estimated the overall variety of folks on the funeral, however one of many cops in command of making certain every little thing went easily mentioned it was within the hundreds.
“I don’t know precisely what number of, however there have to be over 5 thousand folks right here, possibly extra, I’d estimate, primarily based on my expertise with public gatherings,” the policemen informed BIRN.
The thousand or so automobiles, bikes, vans and buses outdoors the cemetery confirmed his estimate.
