BELGRADE, March 14: A Serbian court on Tuesday revoked an arrest warrant for the widow of former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic, clearing a major legal hurdle to holding his funeral in Belgrade.

Although the court’s ruling imposed a number of conditions, it allows Mira Markovic to return to Serbia for the first time in three years.

Once a powerful political figure in her own right, Markovic, 63, is thought to have been living in Russia since 2003.

She was devoted to Milosevic, who died of a heart attack on Saturday while on trial for war crimes, and often seen as a power behind his throne.

A funeral for him would have been unthinkable without her presence.

A court spokeswoman, Ivana Ramic, said the warrant on charges of fraud had been withdrawn, but Markovic would have to appear before a judge on March 23.

“The accused remains free as long as she responds to the court’s summons,” she added.

“Otherwise she will be arrested and detained.”

Ramic said Markovic must surrender her passport and would be prevented from leaving Serbia before March 23.

Her family has also put up a security of 15,000 euros (18,000 dollars).

“The court will inform the interior ministry of its decision and ask it not to detain (Markovic) until a new order” for her arrest is issued, said Ramic.

For the Serbian press, it was all part of a back-doors political deal — Markovic would get the warrant lifted and Milosevic’s family and party would ensure a quiet funeral without any embarrassing shows of force.

Prosecutors had earlier said they had no objection to revoking the warrant while the party of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica indicated that it would respect any decision the court made.

The warrant itself was on a relatively minor accusation — that she helped her son’s nanny procure a state-owned apartment at a rock-bottom price.

However, police may also want to question her about a possible involvement in the murder of former president Ivan Stambolic.—AFP