The UN tribunal said in a statement released on Monday that "in line with the completion strategy of the ICTY, the Tribunal’s field offices in Zagreb and Pristina will close on 31 December. The field offices in Belgrade and Sarajevo will remain open to continue supporting the work of the Tribunal."

ICTY President Judge Theodor Meron commended the work of the staff in both offices and was quoted as saying that he was "grateful to the staff of both liaison offices who over the years have worked in the most dedicated manner and provided essential support to the work of the Tribunal."

"The field offices’ mandate was two-fold. One was to act as the public face of the Tribunal in the country of operation and reach out to the communities affected by the work of the Tribunal. The other was to act as a liaison between the ICTY and national authorities on case related and other matters," said the Hague-based tribunal.

"The field offices actively engaged with civil society, NGOs, victims, representatives of the media, legal professionals and the general public in order to provide accurate accounts of the institution’s work and achievements. Activities undertaken included bilateral meetings, participation at conferences, seminars and workshops and distribution of information material. The field offices also played an important role in capacity building efforts, serving as a key conduit of information between national authorities and judiciaries and the Tribunal. Key activities undertaken included transfer and exchange of legal documents, diplomatic and case-related correspondence, and other forms of official communication."

"Since its establishment, the Tribunal has had six field offices in the former Yugoslavia. These were originally set up as outposts for the Office of the Prosecutor and were located in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Pristina, Banja Luka and Skopje. In early 2000, a Registry component was added to the field offices of Sarajevo, Belgrade, Zagreb and Pristina, primarily to perform outreach and public information functions. The Skopje and Banja Luka offices closed in 2004 and 2007, respectively. The Office of the Prosecutor withdrew its presence from the Pristina office in 2006 and from the Zagreb office in 2010."