ZAGREB, Feb 7 (Hina) - An opposition member of the Croatian parliament said on Friday Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic's claims about a satisfactory situation in the military had not assured anyone that the situation was as it ought
to be.
ZAGREB, Feb 7 (Hina) - An opposition member of the Croatian
parliament said on Friday Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic's
claims about a satisfactory situation in the military had not
assured anyone that the situation was as it ought to be. #L#
The minister did not answer many questions in connection with
security in the Armed Forces at the session of the Sabor's committee
on internal affairs and national security on February 5-6 and
failed to assure anybody that the situation is at the required
level, said Vlado Jukic on behalf of the Croatian Party of
Rights/Croatian Christian Democratic Union bench.
"We were given a lecture about the reform of the Armed Forces and
their history, while the key issue of reorganisation and providing
for redundancies was only mentioned and in the main remained a
political mystery."
The bench will initiate amending the defence law at once and demand
the government submit to parliament annual reports on the situation
in the military and draw up a defence plan as a basic military
document, said Jukic.
He added the bench condemned what it said was the government's
rushed support to a U.S. attack on Iraq, especially because the
support was expressed without prior consultations with parliament,
the other parties, and the president of the republic.
Such conduct is unacceptable as Croatia's obligations, as that of a
U.N. member, may stem only from Security Council resolutions, said
Jukic.
"Everything else is not in Croatia's national interest, especially
commenting on active participation in an attack on Iraq."
(hina) ha sb