Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Tomislav Nikolic said Thursday in Kraljevo that Ratko Mladic's arrest comes as a "complete surprise."

The SNS leadership will convene Friday and release a statement regarding this event, Nikolic said, adding it is not a moment for reaction from political parties but from the people and the government.

"This is a man wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, yet in Serbia he has never been painted as a criminal and evildoer," Nikolic said.

He added that he believes the operation had been planned for a long time, and that the Serbian president wanted to "make the nation happy" that another job has been completed.

"We will see... there are many questions to be asked... who saw this man yesterday and recognized him. Did Serbia perhaps know all along where Mladic was, what made them decide to arrest him today," said the SNS leader.

He believes that the Serbian president owes many answers and that it is not enough for him to simply say that the job is done.


Jovanovic: Ten-year agony ended, congratulations to Tadic

Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Cedomir Jovanovic stated on Thursday that the arrest of International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) fugitive Ratko Mladic has put a stop to a ten-year torment and agony, and congratulated to President Boris Tadic for completing the mission which was started by the government of Zoran Djindjic.

“This capture has fulfilled a great responsibility that Serbia had to itself, its neighbors and its future. The fact that Mladic will face court is not only a satisfaction for the victims, but also an opportunity for our society to remove the heavy burden that it has been living with for over 15 years,” Jovanovic said in a statement for media.

According to him, the arrest of Mladic cannot be seen as a result of the blackmail that Serbia was faced with on its EU path, because by this capture Serbia has met obligations that it had towards itself, its neighbors and its future.

Jovanovic underlined that the arrest of Mladic has fully proved the correctness of the LDP policy, and all other reform forces in the country, NGOs and individuals who were alone to promote punishing of criminals and facing with the consequences of crimes.