ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) - At its session on Thursday the Croatian Government adopted its stance to persist in its suit against Yugoslavia, i.e. Serbia-Montenegro so that it can ensure the return of cultural goods and compensation for
war damage.
ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) - At its session on Thursday the Croatian
Government adopted its stance to persist in its suit against
Yugoslavia, i.e. Serbia-Montenegro so that it can ensure the return
of cultural goods and compensation for war damage. #L#
The Government expressed this attitude in response to a report on
the return of cultural goods from Yugoslavia as well as an objection
by that country that an international tribunal in The Hague is not
authorised to resolve matters relating to the return of cultural
goods.
Because of Yugoslavia's attitude that the competence of the Hague
tribunal to resolve these matters is unacceptable and disputable,
Croatia must persist in trying to establish Yugoslavia's
responsibility for war damage caused to cultural goods, Deputy
Culture Minister Biserka Cvjeticanin said, noting that it was
beyond any doubt that the then Yugoslavia was responsible for the
confiscation and destruction of Croatia's cultural heritage.
Cvjeticanin expressed that attitude of her ministry that scheduled
negotiations about the restitution of cultural goods did not mean
that Croatia no longer had any reason to continue with its case
against Yugoslavia for genocide.
She noted that 8,225 museum items were damaged of which 5038
disappeared or were looted, 2,374 were destroyed and 843 were
damaged in 70 damaged or destroyed city museums, galleries and
collections.
The list does not include damages to mobile cultural goods from
Vukovar City Museum after a portion of this was returned from Serbia
and Vojvodina.
The list contains information of war damage inflicted to movable
sacral monuments in 162 buildings. The list further notes 3098
missing, damaged or destroyed paintings, sculptures, sacral
vessels and furniture which was documented in the Ministry in March
2001 and handed over to the Government Office for Co-operation with
the Hague Tribunal.
The same material contains a list of items, mostly icons, from Serb
Orthodox churches that were removed in 1990 and 1991 and
transferred to Serbia illegally.
(hina) sp ms