ZAGREB, June 13 (Hina) - Social Liberals' (HSLS) vice-president Josko Kontic has urged the government to submit to General Ante Gotovina's attorneys all documents relevant to his defence on Wednesday, after which the party will
suggest withdrawal of an interpellation request.
ZAGREB, June 13 (Hina) - Social Liberals' (HSLS) vice-president
Josko Kontic has urged the government to submit to General Ante
Gotovina's attorneys all documents relevant to his defence on
Wednesday, after which the party will suggest withdrawal of an
interpellation request. #L#
Kontic told reporters Friday that not one standpoint of 50
parliamentary deputies who signed the request was in contrast to
President Stjepan Mesic's initiative aimed at changing or
withdrawing the indictment against the fugitive general.
"It is not good that the government is voicing scepticism through
the head of its office for cooperation with the Hague's war crimes
tribunal, Frane Krnic, about the president's initiative," said
Kontic, recalling Krnic's statement that "the latest course of
events changes nothing".
Kontic believes this is completely untrue. The time has come for the
tribunal to withdraw the indictment against Gotovina, he added.
The indictment may also be withdrawn even if Gotovina does not turn
up in The Hague, he said.
The documents sent to the tribunal, supposed to have come from the
UNHCR, confirms that there had been no ethnic cleansing after the
"Storm" liberation operation, but that Serb civilians' leaving the
region of the so-called Krajina had been organised by the local
paramilitary leadership, Kontic said.
He recalled President Mesic's statement that after Storm, General
Gotovina had filed more than 300 misdemeanour and 250 criminal
charges, which refuted a claim in the indictment that Gotovina had
done nothing.
"We are witnesses of the political ping-pong and the transfer of
responsibility from one side to another regarding Gotovina,"
Kontic said.
The question what happened in 1998 and who was doing what regarding
the Gotovina case will have to be answered one day, but this
government will also have to answer for the period 2000-3, he said.
Kontic did not wish to give his interpretations about the incumbent
government's conduct regarding the Gotovina case.
(hina) lml