ZAGREB, Feb 23 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic said on Monday that a conditional positive opinion of the European Commission on Croatia's EU membership application would be "the joint success of the former and the present government
on a joint mission" and that it would be necessary to "complete cooperation with the Hague tribunal and enable the return of refugees and property restitution".
ZAGREB, Feb 23 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic said on Monday that a
conditional positive opinion of the European Commission on Croatia's
EU membership application would be "the joint success of the former
and the present government on a joint mission" and that it would be
necessary to "complete cooperation with the Hague tribunal and enable
the return of refugees and property restitution".#L#
Speaking in a Croatian Radio talk show, Mesic said he had recently
told EU Common Foreign and Security Policy Representative Javier
Solana that Croatia was making every effort to resolve the case of
General Ante Gotovina, who is wanted by the Hague tribunal, but that
not a single piece of information had been found indicating that the
fugitive general was hiding in Croatia.
Commenting on announced personnel changes in intelligence services and
allegations that they were protecting Gotovina, Mesic said that
everyone can be relieved of their duties if they do not do their job
properly. "I don't think intelligence services are protecting either
General Gotovina or any other suspect," the president said.
Asked about announced amendments to the Law on Secret Services, Mesic
said that the law had been drawn up on the basis of laws in EU
countries, but added that he supported the amendments if they improved
the law.
Asked to comment on the work of the government during its first 50
days in office, the president gave the government very high marks for
the messages it was sending, but somewhat lower marks when it came to
fulfilling its promises.
(Hina) vm sb