30.06.2017
Presentation of the Book “Diversion on Tuzla Square ‘the Gate’”
At five minutes to 21 hours on 25th May 1995, an explosion reverberated at a crowded town square “the Gate” in Tuzla in war engulfed Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to preliminary data, there were 64 fatalities and more than 150 persons were wounded; subsequently the number of dead increased to 71 and the number of wounded, depending on the source, was between 150 and 240 people. According to the authorities in UNPROFOR and government of Bosnia and Herzegovina the explosion was caused by a grenade fired from a gun M46 of 130mm calibre from the position of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Srpska, and the alleged firing order had been issued by General Novak Đukić as Commander of a tactical group in Ozren. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, after hearing the witnesses and on the basis of a single analysis by a prosecution expert – Dr Berko Zečević, passes judgement and sentences General Đukić first to 25 and then after appealing to 20 years of imprisonment.
Since 2014, on the basis of experiments conducted in the training area Nikinci and other scientific researches of experts from: Serbia, Republic of Srpska, Czech Republic, France and Israel, it has been irrefutably ascertained that neither the 130mm gun grenade nor any other grenade could have caused the tragedy.On Thursday, 29th June, in the Central Club of Serbian Armed Forces, a book titled “Diversion on Tuzla Square ‘the Gate’” was presented by the author, Ilija Branković, retired Lieutenant General. The book sums up the results of the researches and the finds of all expert teams, as well as the arguments of the unjust treatment of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the proceedings against General Novak Đukić, according to which no artillery grenade could have exploded in the Gate square in Tuzla, and that it was an entirely different type of explosive ordnance or device. The book is dedicated to General Đukić who attended the presentation in the Central Club of Serbian Armed Forces.
In the framework of the presentation of the book “Diversion on Tuzla Square ‘the Gate’”, a film “Science against Crime” was also presented, which had been created by defence team of General Novak Đukić at the time of conducting experiments by the expert teams on the training area in Nikinci.
Petar Skrbić, retired general, the editor of the book addressed the gathered as well as Deputy Chairmen of Executive Board of Serbian Generals and Admirals’ Club, retired general Miloš Đošen, and Dr Nevenko Vranješ, Deputy Director of the Centre for Research on War, War Crimes and Missing Persons of the Republic of Srpska, and retired general Vidosav Kovačević, Team Coordinator for defending General Novak Đukić. Upon the completion of the official presentation programme, fellow-fighters of general Novak Đukić, Simo Spasić and Zoran Prebić said several moving sentences to the audience about General Đukić.The book “Diversion on Tuzla Square ‘the Gate’” is published by the National Centre for Research on War, War Crimes and Missing Persons and Foundation “Justice for General Novak Đukić”. The book has not been printed yet in required number of copies, only limited quantity being printed for this presentation and it will not be sold for money since the edition has been supported by institutions and individuals by voluntary donations.
