Schumer, Clinton Continue To Press Serbian Government To Return Kovacevic To The United States To Face Prosecution

Press Release

Representatives from the offices of Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton, along a Senate Foreign Relations Committee majority staff member met today with Vladimir Petrovic, the Serbian Embassy's Charge d'Affaires to urge that Miladin Kovacevic be returned to the United States for trial, and expressed that there would be significant consequences for Serbia if this matter is not resolved. With the recent recall of the Serbian Ambassador, Mr. Petrovic is presently the highest ranking diplomat at the Embassy.

"We welcome Serbia's cooperation and appreciate its past and future help in this case, but we will not be satisfied until Mr. Kovacevic returns to the U.S. to face justice. Anything less or any hesitation or foot dragging by the Serbian government or anyone else involved in this case will not be tolerated. The United States government is fully committed to seeing that Mr. Kovacevic is returned to the United States and we will not quit until that occurs," said Senator Schumer.

"Because of the aid of Serbian officials, Mr. Kovacevic is living his life openly and freely in Serbia while the Steinhauer family is spending every day praying that their son will recover from his life-threatening injuries. We continue to urge the Serbian government to do everything in its power to uphold the rule of law and facilitate the immediate and unconditional return of Mr. Kovacevic to face prosecution for the brutal assault of Bryan Steinhauer," said Senator Clinton.

Miladin Kovacevic, a former Binghamton University basketball player and Serbian national, was charged in connection with the May 4 assault of fellow Binghamton University student Bryan Steinhauer. The assault, which took place at a local bar in Binghamton, fractured Steinhauer's skull and left him in a coma just two weeks before the honor student was set to graduate with a degree in accounting. Kovacevic was arrested and held on a felony assault charge and forced to surrender his passport in connection with the attack. However, on June 6 the Serbian Consulate in New York City posted the $100,000 bail for Kovacevic, and aided his flight to Serbia by issuing an emergency passport.

On June 26, Senators Schumer and Clinton, along Representative Maurice Hinchey joined in appealing to Secretary Rice to demand that the Serbian government revoke the diplomatic immunity of Igor Milosevic, the Serbian consular official accused of posting bail and procuring the new passport so Kovacevic could flee the United States.

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