"It is well known that the Catholic Church publicly promotes the principles behind which it stands, and as regards concrete insinuations, those who have made them should explain them," reads the statement.
Quoting diplomatic sources, "Vjesnik" and "Jutarnji list" dailies yesterday published a plan containing six points that Prime Minister Ivo Sanader had presented at a recent meeting with the EU task force evaluating Croatia's cooperation with the Hague tribunal. The purpose of the plan is to help solve the case of the runaway general Ante Gotovina as soon as possible.
Jutarnji List said that the EU considered it particularly interesting that Sanader was claiming to have already started cooperation with the Catholic Church so that it could help in solving the problem.
"Some Western circles consider some elements in the Catholic Church to be a possible part of the network helping General Gotovina," the daily reported.
Addressing reporters yesterday after a closed-door government session, government spokesman Ratko Macek dismissed these media claims, saying that none of the measures from the action plan regarding cooperation with the Hague tribunal referred to the church.