ZAGREB, Oct 10 (Hina) - In its answers to the European Commission questionnaire, which Premier Ivica Racan submitted to EC President Romano Prodi on Thursday, the Croatian government has given a detailed account of all segments of its
cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), particularly of the measures it has taken to solve the "Gotovina case".
ZAGREB, Oct 10 (Hina) - In its answers to the European Commission
questionnaire, which Premier Ivica Racan submitted to EC President
Romano Prodi on Thursday, the Croatian government has given a
detailed account of all segments of its cooperation with the UN war
crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), particularly of
the measures it has taken to solve the "Gotovina case". #L#
Queries from the EC questionnaire concerning political criteria
refer to the organisation of cooperation with the ICTY on the
political and operational level; to fugitives, and measures taken
to execute the tribunal's indictment against Gotovina; to
indictments against other Croatian citizens, to the production of
documents, and trials of war crimes suspects in Croatia.
The answers regarding the organisation of cooperation cite
political acts which are the basis of cooperation between Zagreb
and the Hague-based tribunal, and confirm Croatia's commitment to
full cooperation with the tribunal and its primacy over the
country's judiciary.
The answers also include a description of the organisation of
cooperation between the tribunal and the government's office for
cooperation with the ICTY as the central operative body which is in
permanent touch with the ICTY's office in Zagreb.
The answer on steps taken to find and apprehend fugitive indictees
includes a description of the arrest and transfer of Ivica Rajic,
nabbed in June this year.
As regards the indictment against the retired general Ante
Gotovina, the answers read that the Ivica Racan cabinet moved for a
confidence vote at parliament in July 2001 due to the procedure of
execution of the indictment. In addition, the government gives a
detailed overview of measures it has taken in 18 points.
The measures include attempts to locate the runaway general before
the ICTY issued its formal warrant, the issuance of a warrant for
his arrest, the checking of information on his appearances, the
gathering of information on those who may harbour him, the secret
tapping of telephone lines used by Gotovina, and the monitoring of
movement of his family and friends.
The answers read that relevant Croatian bodies are in contact with
foreign police and intelligence services, but that this has not yet
yielded any results, except for information that the fugitive has
been contacting his family with the help of a foreign national.
The stepped-up cooperation with competent bodies of Bosnia-
Herzegovina and control of the joint border, and the setting up of
ambushes have proven equally unsuccessful. The checking of
information offered by foreign diplomats who said that Gotovina was
spotted in Zagreb and the interior ministry's placing a reward of
350,000 kuna on Gotovina's head yielded no results either.
According to the answers, attempts to find and arrest the indictee
have been impeded by Gotovina's political sympathisers who are
giving misinformation on his movement and whereabouts in Croatia
and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Contrary to statements by ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte,
relevant bodies in Croatia have never received useful information
on the matter from the prosecution or the tribunal, read the
answers.
Concerning Gotovina's interview in Nacional, the document quotes
the author of the interview, Ivo Pukanic, as saying that he assumes
that Gotovina is in an EU member-state. In this context, Zagreb is
taking measures to locate and arrest him.
The answers on the issue are concluded with the statement that all
available information indicates that the general has not been on
Croatia's territory for a long time.
The government reiterates that it is determined to take all
measures at its disposal to find and arrest Gotovina as soon as
possible.
According to the answers, during her visit to Zagreb on 6 October,
Del Ponte was briefed about those arguments and she said that the
case should be solved by joint effort.
As regards possible new indictments from the ICTY, the government
confirms its firm political will to act promptly on every new
indictment.
The government also explains reasons for the delay in serving the
tribunal's indictment to the late general Janko Bobetko.
As regards the hand-over of documents and fulfilment of other
requests, the answers read that from 1997 to 18 September 2003,
Zagreb received 528 requests for assistance from the ICTY
prosecution. Of those requests, 510 were fully met, 14 were met
partially and the four latest requests were sent to competent
bodies, which indicates Croatia's unquestionable political will to
cooperate and the impressive work of Croatian institutions'
employees in this field.
The EC has been provided with figures about war crimes trials
conducted in Croatia. From 1991 to July 2003, criminal proceedings
against 3,181 persons were instigated. Furthermore, 1,373 persons
received sentences and 595 of those were given final sentences,
while 230 were acquitted.
(hina) ms