ZAGREB, Sept 19 (Hina) - A demand by the UN war crimes tribunal that General Janko Bobetko be questioned as an indictee for the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) represents the opening of an investigation against him and is on the path
to maximum politicking of the Tribunal's Prosecution, the head of the HDZ party bench, Vladimir Seks, said on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Sept 19 (Hina) - A demand by the UN war crimes tribunal that
General Janko Bobetko be questioned as an indictee for the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) represents the opening of an investigation
against him and is on the path to maximum politicking of the
Tribunal's Prosecution, the head of the HDZ party bench, Vladimir
Seks, said on Thursday. #L#
The demand is at the same time the establishment of objective
responsibility without guilt under the guise of command
responsibility and ascertains collective responsibility of the
Croatian State, Seks emphasised.
The HDZ, he added, resolutely rejects any attempts to have Bobetko
as the (former) chief-of-staff succumbed to any criminal liability
because that would mean coming out of the framework of the
constitutional law on co-operation with the Hague Tribunal and the
Statute of the Hague Tribunal.
Seks said that because of this it would be important for the
Croatian Government to break off any activities relating to co-
operating with the Hague Tribunal until the Constitutional Court
resolves whether the Constitutional Law on Co-operation with the
Hague is in keeping with the Constitution or not.
Reminding that Premier Ivica Racan and Deputy Prime Minister
responsible for relations with the Tribunal, Goran Granic had on
Wednesday denied that they knew anything about charges against
General Bobetko, Seks said that today it was perfectly clear that
they indeed knew exactly what was happening. They nevertheless are
persisting in speaking insincerely with the Croatian Sabor and
public, Seks concluded.
A similar attitude was presented by vice president of the Croatian
Social Liberal Party (HSLS) Josko Kontic. Accusing General Bobetko
for crimes is accusing Croatia, Kontic said and stressed that
General Bobetko is a symbol of Croatia's struggle for freedom in
World War II and the Homeland War.
Kontic said the HSLS bench forwarded a draft of conclusions signed
by 54 MPs demanding that a temporary moratorium be put in place
against the extradition of Croatian citizens to the Hague Tribunal
until the Constitutional Court passes its ruling about the Law on
Co-operation with the Hague-based Tribunal.
(hina) sp sb