The Higher Court in Belgrade confirmed an indictment against four Croatian military pilots for a war crime committed in 1995.

Thirteen people died in the attacks, including six children, and 24 were wounded.

The decision to indict the four pilots for the bombing of a refugee column raised tensions in Zagreb, where Croatian state officials warned it could cause a deterioration of relations between Croatia and Serbia.

Top Croatian officials slammed the indictment as “pure politicking” and accused Serbia of “assuming the role of the regional Hague tribunal.” Zagreb disputes Serbian judiciary the right to start the procedure, saying the events in question have already been investigated by other organisations, including the UN’s criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in Hague.

However, the Croatian non-governmental association Documenta has welcomed the indictments, calling on the institutions to agree as quickly as possible on where the procedure will continue.

Meanwhile, some Serbian officials accused Zagreb of trying to justify and pardon war crimes. Serbian human rights activists have said that there is clear evidence that a war crime was committed on the Petrovacka Cesta road against Serb refugees fleeing the fighting.

The indictment was filed on March 31 and was confirmed by the Higher Court War Crimes Section council on June 3.

According to the press release, the council ruled that there were sufficient grounds to confirm the indictment.