LEFT-WING MAGAZINE MUST PAY MENTAL ANGUISH DAMAGES TO I. BOBETKO

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - The Zagreb Municipal Court has ruled that Razlog, the publisher of Hrvatska Ljevica (Croatian Left) magazine, must pay 50,000 kuna (EUR6,750) in damages to Ivan Bobetko for mental anguish sustained over an article alleging that he was one of those responsible for war crimes in Sisak. #L# The verdict is the death sentence for Hrvatska Ljevica, editor-in- chief Stipe Suvar told reporters in Zagreb on Thursday. With added costs for court proceedings, this formally only left- wing magazine with a circulation of 6,000 copies will have to pay close to 58,000 kuna. The editorial board is not certain the magazine will manage to survive, even with readers' donations and an auction of paintings which renowned artist Edo Murtic has offered to participate in, said Suvar. Based on the testimony of an anonymous witness, Hrvatska Ljevica said in a 1998 article that Bobetko, who in 1991-3 commanded the crisis headquarters in Sisak, was responsible for war crimes committed against 90 Serbs, alongside incumbent Sisak-Moslavina County prefect Djuro Brodarac and Vladimir Milankovic, who during the Flash operation of 1995 commanded a special police unit called "Ose" (Wasps). In the editorial of the upcoming May issue, Hrvatska Ljevica announces that Bobetko has reason to fear despite the latest ruling as the magazine will publish a special issue called "The Crimes in Sisak and Ivan Bobetko's Mental Anguish". The editorial, distributed among journalists today, also notes that in another special issue the magazine will publish documents in their possession, as well as other Croatian media articles on crimes in the Sisak area. Hrvatska Ljevica also links Ivan Bobetko with his father Janko, a Croatian army general who, the May editorial reads, might end up at the Hague war crimes tribunal. Suvar is the president of the Socialist Labour Party. (hina) ha sb