SPLIT/ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - Split attorney Nenad Boban said on Monday he had filed a suit against the Croatian Defence Ministry with Zagreb's Municipal Court for refusing to pay the costs of defending Luka Dzanko, a retired general
who was suspected by the Hague war crimes tribunal, in the amount of 160,000 kuna (EUR20,800).
SPLIT/ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - Split attorney Nenad Boban said on
Monday he had filed a suit against the Croatian Defence Ministry
with Zagreb's Municipal Court for refusing to pay the costs of
defending Luka Dzanko, a retired general who was suspected by the
Hague war crimes tribunal, in the amount of 160,000 kuna
(EUR20,800). #L#
The Defence Ministry has said there are no legal means to make the
payment because in 2000 the Ivica Racan cabinet assumed the
obligation to cover only the defence of Bosnian Croat general
Tihomir Blaskic.
Boban quoted Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic, saying that she had
pledged the ministry would cover defence costs for all Hague
tribunal indictees. The ministry says that referred to help in
giving access to documents necessary for the preparation of
defence.
Boban said he had been referred to the Hague tribunal to collect the
payment under a right for defendants who cannot pay for their
defence themselves, which the attorney said was insulting and
humiliating.
Asked for a comment, Defence Ministry spokesman Davor Denkovski
told Hina he had no idea on what grounds Boban asked that the
ministry cover the defence costs. He added Antunovic "has never
made a promise to that effect because she isn't authorised to do
so".
Dzanko was interviewed by investigators from The Hague in Zagreb on
24 and 25 July, suspected of breaching humanitarian law. The
tribunal's Office of the Prosecutor decided against indicting him
in October.
(hina) ha sb