ZAGREB, May 22 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Thursday formulated an answer to the parliament's request for the interpellation of the government in the case of General Ante Gotovina. The government's answer is that it is acting
in line with Croatian laws and the statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY), reads a statement issued after today's closed-door session.
ZAGREB, May 22 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Thursday
formulated an answer to the parliament's request for the
interpellation of the government in the case of General Ante
Gotovina. The government's answer is that it is acting in line with
Croatian laws and the statute of the International Criminal
Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY), reads a statement issued
after today's closed-door session. #L#
The interpellation request, signed by 55 MPs, urges the parliament
to bind the government to provide General Gotovina's attorneys with
documents which may refer to his case at the ICTY.
Recalling that the Zagreb Municipal Court has been conducting
proceedings regarding the transfer of the documents to Gotovina's
attorneys, the government states that it considers the matter
primarily and exclusively an open legal question. The documents
were not handed over to the attorneys because they did not identify
themselves as a party to the criminal proceedings before The Hague-
based tribunal and because Gotovina did not receive his indictment,
the government says.
The government dismisses as unfounded and biased claims by the
signatories to the interpellation request that it failed to use
available means to effect changes in parts of Gotovina's indictment
which it had assessed as unacceptable itself.
After the government received the indictment and established that
some of its segments lead to the impression that the legitimacy of
Operation "Storm" is challenged, i.e. that the operation is
criminalised, Premier Ivica Racan on 18 June 2001 sent the ICTY's
chief prosecutor a letter with arguments supporting his request
that the disputable statements in Gotovina's indictment (as well as
in the indictment against General Rahim Ademi) be changed, says the
statement.
The government also recalls that during a visit to Zagreb the
tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, informed Racan that
she could not meet the request from his letter due to "legal
reasons".
In its answer to the parliament, the government also states that
even before the issuing of the indictment in June 2001 Gotovina had
failed to respond to a repeated request by the tribunal's
prosecution (1998) for a questioning. Responding to the request
would have been advisable in clearing up disputable issues on time,
says the government, adding that it still believes that Gotovina
should comply with the request and considers any other form of
conduct the violation of legal norms.
In that context, the government reiterates its stands, including
its readiness to request amicus curiae status at Gotovina's trial
at the tribunal so that it could join in the process and help in his
defence with available legal means.
The government's answer will be explained in parliament by Premier
Ivica Racan, Vice-Premier Goran Granic, Justice Minister Ingrid
Anticevic Marinovic and the head of the Office for Cooperation with
the ICTY, Frane Krnic.
(hina) rml sb