REACTIONS OF SUPPORT TO MESIC'S ADDRESS TO THE NATION

ZAGREB, Sept 26 (Hina) - The Citizens' Committee on Human Rights (GOLJP) has described President Stjepan Mesic's address to the nation on Wednesday in connection with a war crimes indictment against Gen. Janko Bobetko as a refreshment in a deluge of politicking, manipulation and affectation. #L# According to Thursday's statement signed by GOLJP chairman Zoran Pusic, the Mesic address has restored confidence that there is hope for Croatia, and that in critical moments top officials can say the simple truth in a peaceful fashion. GOLJP maintains that in the heated reactions to the Bobetko indictment and the support to the retired general one has lost sight of the fact that crimes were indeed committed in Medak Pocket, and that Bobetko, the Defence Ministry or the 1993 government, and the Catholic Church did nothing to prosecute the perpetrators. GOLJP says that any errors in the indictment should be proved in court and serve as a strong argument in the defence of the accused. According to GOLJP, the Bobetko indictment in no part contests the legitimacy of Croatia's defence or Croatia as a state. The deliberate misrepresentation of its content is an attempt at manipulating with citizens' feelings, the committee says. The Socialist Labour Party (SRP) of Croatia also supports Mesic's address to the nation. There is no doubt that Mesic acted sensibly and in Croatia's long- term interest, despite the fact that the right wing and almost the entire Croatian political class slammed the address, SRP said in a statement signed by its president Stipe Suvar. The Women's Network of Croatia fully supported the Mesic address as well. In today's statement it describes the President as "perhaps the only genuinely brave politician in this state who clearly states his opinion and is not calculating" regarding the electorate. (hina) ha