ZAGREB, Sept 20 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan on Friday afternoon refused to speculate when the "corrected indictment from the Hague-based tribunal" against General Janko Bobetko could be sent to Zagreb.
ZAGREB, Sept 20 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan on Friday
afternoon refused to speculate when the "corrected indictment from
the Hague-based tribunal" against General Janko Bobetko could be
sent to Zagreb. #L#
The premier said he was not going to speculate. When the corrected
indictment comes, we are ready for the further move and analyse its
contents, and check whether it is in compliance with the Statute and
rules of the UN war crimes tribunal and with the Croatian
Constitution, Racan told reporters after a closed-door session of
the government and his meeting with leaders of ruling coalition
parties and their parliamentary benches.
The indictment against General Bobetko and a warrant for his
surrender were sent back from Zagreb to The Hague due to legal and
formal omissions. Racan personally, as he said, notified Gen.
Bobetko of the government's decision.
Racan said the indictment and the warrant were signed by a tribunal
judge, and the warrant was referred to the prosecution and not to
the Croatian government.
The government had to do what it did and there were no two ways about
it, he said.
The Premier does not believe that his cabinet will fail the test of
the Bobetko indictment.
"The government is able to show what it can do in this situation too.
I do not think that we shall fail this test, as we want to be
responsible, as we offer an agreement on an optimum solution from
this situation to everybody," he said, adding that he was not
pessimistic.
Asked about the reasons why his cabinet turned down a proposal for
changes to the constitutional law on cooperation with the tribunal,
under which the Croatian judiciary would be able to examine the
grounds of ICTY indictments, Racan answered that the changes would
push Croatia into conflict with the tribunal and the international
community.
One should take care of moves taken, he explained.
The premier declined to comment on criticism and attacks levelled
at the government, in which, he assessed, some extreme standpoints
were reflected which were of no use to either Croatia or Bobetko.
He called several times for maturity and responsibility of
everybody in order for the country and individuals to come out of
this situation with advantages.
In this case, haste and radicalism are not good allies of Croatian
national interests, he warned.
He reiterated that without a parliamentary debate, the government
would make no decision.
Asked whether his statement that, if necessary, he would consult
citizens meant a referendum, the premier responded that he did not
think that consultations immediately implied a referendum.
He said the leaders of the coalition had been informed of the
government's decision to send back the indictment earlier in the
day. Consultations were held on the work of the government and the
ruling coalition. He announced meetings with other parties and some
associations in the coming days.
(hina) ms sb