HSLS URGES COURT TO DECIDE ON REQUEST BY GOTOVINA'S LAWYERS

ZAGREB, Sept 25 (Hina) - Parliamentary deputies of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) have called on the Zagreb municipal court to urgently make a ruling in proceedings in which General Ante Gotovina's attorneys asked the government to provide them with documents which Zagreb earlier sent to the Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal's prosecution. #L# Josko Kontic told a news conference that as early as in 2001 Gen. Gotovina's lawyers had asked the government to provide them with relevant material. After the government failed to meet this request, the case ended up at the Municipal Court in Zagreb, which made a ruling in favour of Gotovina's team. The government lodged an appeal against the ruling with the County Court which in October 2002 decided that the municipal court should urgently reconsider the case. Kontic pointed the finger at the municipal court's president, asking him why he had not called a hearing yet and whether a panel of judges had been set up to decide about this case. Kontic also wondered whether the executive authorities exerted pressure on the court in this case. He believes that the incumbent government fears that the court verdict will prove that the government has been wrong and that it has obstructed the defence of the fugitive general all along. The HSLS official stressed that two years ago 53 MPs supported a motion requesting the Constitutional Court to assess whether the cooperation with the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was in line with the constitution. The motion was submitted by Gotovina's defence team. Kontic appealed to the court to decide on the motion as soon as possible, adding that this was of crucial importance for Croatia's internal stability and international position. (hina) ms