The generals will join the peaceful and dignified rally of support for General Gotovina and send a request to the Croatian government to do its utmost in the defence of General Gotovina and all other Croatians accused by the Hague tribunal, as well as in the defence of the Homeland War, which must not be branded a criminal war, the association's president, Marinko Kresic, said at a news conference.
The association was established in secret some 20 days ago and it consists of generals who are dissatisfied with the "Croatian authorities currying favour with the international community, rather than cooperating with those who defended the country," it was said at the news conference.
The 22-member association includes retired generals Ante Roso, Markica Rebic, Miroslav Tudjman, Ljubo Cesic Rojs, Zdravko Vladanovic, Zeljko Glasnovic, and Admiral Davor Domazet Loso.
The generals voiced their support in principle for peaceful rallies to be held in support of Gotovina and Homeland War values and condemned any kind of extremism, destruction and politicking, stating that tomorrow's rally in Split must not be used for political purposes and that they would not support any political party.
Asked to comment on the government's opposition to such rallies and on reports that the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was against such rallies, Markica Rebic said that only a part of senior HDZ officials was possibly against rallies of support for Gotovina, but that other HDZ members supported them.
Admiral Domazet recalled Hague tribunal chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte's statement in April this year saying that after the tribunal completed its work in 2010, historians would write the history of the Western Balkans on the basis of the tribunal's verdicts.
"Croatia would be accused of aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina and of the ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Operation Storm, and if such a verdict is passed, it would mean that Croatia was established on crime. The Croatian government is now taking the test of protecting the Homeland War and it is its duty to prevent such a scenario," Domazet said.