ZAGREB, Sept 20 (Hina) - During brief talks with reporters before reading his statement for the public, General Janko Bobetko recalled his interview for the Globus weekly several days ago. Among other things, in the interview he said
that Franjo Tudjman, the founder of the modern Croatian state, and former defence minister Gojko Susak, were dead, and he "remains alone, a living anti-Fascist, who lived through both World War Two and the Homeland War, and who, unfortunately, has to defend himself for that". "Were we all to raise our hands in surrender when they attacked in 1991," Bobetko asked, reiterating that he would not be "taken to The Hague on a leash, to be tried by the impotent Europe which lost World War Two in eight days". "They can only get me out of this house dead. That is my moral and national duty," Bobetko said. His wife Magdalena told reporters it was difficult for her to accept his decision not to surrender to the H
ZAGREB, Sept 20 (Hina) - During brief talks with reporters before
reading his statement for the public, General Janko Bobetko
recalled his interview for the Globus weekly several days ago.
Among other things, in the interview he said that Franjo Tudjman,
the founder of the modern Croatian state, and former defence
minister Gojko Susak, were dead, and he "remains alone, a living
anti-Fascist, who lived through both World War Two and the Homeland
War, and who, unfortunately, has to defend himself for that".
"Were we all to raise our hands in surrender when they attacked in
1991," Bobetko asked, reiterating that he would not be "taken to The
Hague on a leash, to be tried by the impotent Europe which lost World
War Two in eight days".
"They can only get me out of this house dead. That is my moral and
national duty," Bobetko said.
His wife Magdalena told reporters it was difficult for her to accept
his decision not to surrender to the Hague for the price of life.
"I was torn, but in the end I accepted my husband's decision,
because I would not humiliate myself in front of other either,"
Magdalena Bobetko said.
Having found out this morning that the government sent the
indictment back to the Hague-based international war crimes
tribunal, Bobetko's son Ivan commented -- the Croatian people
pushed them against a wall.
Among friends to visit General Bobetko in his home today was also
retired general Miljenko Crnjac, who said, "today The Hague is
indicting General Bobetko, tomorrow it may be my turn, who knows".
This is a blow to defenders and all of us who participated in the
Homeland War from day one and created the Croatian state, he added.
(hina) lml sb