ZAGREB, March 22 (Hina) - The Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) on Friday requested Defence Minister Jozo Rados's resignation because of his statement yesterday that Croatia could not defend itself from an attack by a
modernly organised and equipped army.
ZAGREB, March 22 (Hina) - The Croatian Christian Democratic Union
(HKDU) on Friday requested Defence Minister Jozo Rados's
resignation because of his statement yesterday that Croatia could
not defend itself from an attack by a modernly organised and
equipped army. #L#
The party denounced the statement, saying that it degraded the
values of the Croatian army and Homeland War, the HKDU said in a
statement Friday.
"His statement is not only an insult to the Homeland War and the
people who won it, Croatian veterans...but such a claim made as an
assessment from an expert and not on a political level, also
seriously raises a question as to whether the national security
system has been endangered," the party said.
Rados's claim also brings into question the credibility of military
analyses by which Croatia won the war thanks to the human factor,
opposing a more powerful enemy with a 1:127 ratio.
The President of the Croatian Party of Rights, Anto Djapic, told a
news conference on Thursday that such a statement made by a defence
minister who has been in office for two years was inappropriate. The
Croatian army's combat situation must be "a secret above all
secrets," Djapic said.
"We must promote the Croatian army as always being stronger than we
truly are, but after Rados's statement, one might believe that the
army of, for example, Republika Srpska, can overpower us," Djapic
said.
Stressing that Rados gravely insulted officers and the Croatian
army, Djapic said that his party would not ask Rados to resign,
because "the dismissal of ministers is decided through an
agreement".
(hina) lml