Serbia cannot be a "boss in someone else's backyard" by exercising its "quasi-universal" jurisdiction over sovereign Croatia, the War Veterans Ministry said on Monday in response to indictments by Serbian courts against Croatian Air Force pilots, state agency Hina said in their re-release of the ministry's unsigned press release.

“Croatia is an independent and sovereign state and as such does not recognize Serbia’s quasi-universal jurisdiction,” said the press release in response to the statement by Serbian National Assembly Speaker Ivica Dacic and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about the alleged charges against Croatian pilots.

Serbia “has no right to file any lawsuits against Croatian citizens based on the Law on the Organization and Competences of the Government Authorities in War Crimes Proceedings, by which it declared itself competent,” the ministry said.

Serbia “keeps trying to be a boss in someone else’s backyard,” it is said.

“Belgrade will not succeed in its attempt to impose collective guilt by evoking sympathy for Serb victims in Croatia, with unfounded accusations which it claims are in accordance with all international conventions,” the press release reads.

It recalled the history of the current president of Serbia.

“War in Croatia began in 1991, with the Greater Serbia aggression which (Aleksandar Vucic) himself also wholeheartedly supported and incited with his speeches”.

“The aggression resulted in the persecution and killing of local inhabitants and numerous crimes against Croats and non-Serb citizens,” and in Serbia this is “systematically silenced and ignored, despite the fact that Croatia is still suffering the consequences of the brutal Greater Serbia aggression,” the press release said.

“The Republic of Serbia cannot declare itself competent in the territories of other sovereign, internationally recognized states,” Hina said that “the ministry wrote.”

That is “contrary to the rule of law, international law and international criminal law”.

The final verdicts of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) established that the military and  police operation Storm was not a joint criminal enterprise but a legitimate military operation aimed at returning occupied territory, it is recalled in the press release.

“Therefore, it called on Serbia to address outstanding issues not only in the judiciary but also in relation to missing persons,” Hina added.