ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - Parliament President Vladimir Seks said on Monday he would propose that the political assessments made in the latest indictments from the war crimes tribunal in The Hague be discussed by parliament's foreign
affairs committee but did not rule out the possibility of the issue being included in the agenda of parliament's forthcoming session.
ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - Parliament President Vladimir Seks said on
Monday he would propose that the political assessments made in the
latest indictments from the war crimes tribunal in The Hague be
discussed by parliament's foreign affairs committee but did not rule
out the possibility of the issue being included in the agenda of
parliament's forthcoming session.#L#
Seks spoke to reporters after a session of the parliamentary
presidency which considered the possibility of a parliamentary debate
which would discuss the indictments against generals Mladen Markac and
Ivan Cermak. The session was attended by Seks, Prime Minister Ivo
Sanader, Justice Minister Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, the presidents of
parliamentary parties and the leaders of the parties' clubs of
deputies.
A parliamentary debate on the indictments was requested by the
Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) and the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP).
Seks told reporters there were various opinions and that serious
consideration was being given to arguments for and against a debate on
what was appropriate for Croatia and its credibility and for the
defence of Markac and Cermak before the Hague tribunal.
Asked when he would decide about the debate, Seks said he had a 30-day
deadline from receipt of the request, March 9.
PM Sanader told reporters he explained at today's meeting what the
government intended to do in order to defend the truth about the
Homeland War from the unacceptable parts of the indictments.
He added that in his capacity as leader of the ruling Croatian
Democratic Union party, he said the issue should first be addressed by
the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and that only then
should the final decision on the holding of a parliamentary debate be
made.
Ivica Racan, the leader of the strongest opposition party, the Social
Democrats, said the issue should be debated and that everyone must
bear the responsibility for their statements about "an issue as
delicate as Croatia's cooperation with the Hague tribunal".
HSS leader Zlatko Tomcic said he had suggested holding a debate on
what he said were political incriminations contained in the latest
indictments, notably the part speaking of "criminal enterprises".
Anto Djapic said his HSP felt a parliamentary debate was necessary
because the indictments questioned parliament's Declaration on the
Homeland War. Parliament cannot stand aside when the defence of the
Homeland War is at stake, he added.
Djapic said he did not question the government's moves but expressed
surprise that the ruling majority was trying to avoid a parliamentary
debate on the indictments.
(Hina) ha sb