IMOTSKI, March 5 (Hina) - More than a thousand residents gathered in the southern town of Imotski on Wednesday to protest as a sign of support to four defence office employees who were proclaimed surplus staff in the defence ministry.
Croatian Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic condemned the developments surronding the case of the four local employees, describing it as a form of groundless pressure and mere politicising.
IMOTSKI, March 5 (Hina) - More than a thousand residents gathered in
the southern town of Imotski on Wednesday to protest as a sign of
support to four defence office employees who were proclaimed
surplus staff in the defence ministry. Croatian Defence Minister
Zeljka Antunovic condemned the developments surronding the case of
the four local employees, describing it as a form of groundless
pressure and mere politicising. #L#
On Monday the four closed the office in Imotski demanding that they
be guaranteed that they would not lose their jobs. Following
negotiations with the relevant bodies, they left the office on
Tuesday and announced that they would continue their protest.
Today, they protested outside the premises of the Imotski Defence
Office and were later jointed by many locals, members of Homeland
War associations, who organised a rally called in "Imotski, Do not
Forget!".
The demonstrators sent to Croatian government a letter demanding of
the Ivica Racan Cabinet to stop dismissing Croatian war veterans
and that the main offices of the 631st brigade be retained in that
town and that indictments against Croatian general be withdrawn.
One of the speakers at the protest, the president of the central
association for the defense of the dignity of the Homeland War,
Colonel Mirko Condic, stated that this was the final straw in the
humiliation and degradation of Croatian veterans who were being
forced out of the Defence Ministry by traitors so that they could
not be reminded of their actions.
"They will not succeed however," he said and was loudly applauded.
He labelled the incumbent Croatian president Stjepan Mesic as a
traitor and Premier Racan as a servant and accused them of being
adamant about launching lies about veterans through their media.
Commenting on the protest in support of the four defence employees,
Minister Zeljka Antunovic stated that the four did not have the
necessary qualifications (i.e diplomas) and that they had been
conducting their duties illegally until now.
"We are trying to help everyone but our priority is to bring some
order into the Defence Ministry and armed forces," she said.
She condemned unfounded pressure and politicising. She added that
there were one hundred thousand veterans in Croatia and so the
argument by four men that this is a political showdown with all
veterans yet did not hold.
"People have the right to protest but they do not have the right to
occupy public premises or government offices," she said.
(hina) sp ms sb