ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - The Croatian government will use cooperation and not conflict with the Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal to protect the values of the state and of the Homeland War from unjust accusations, Prime Minister
Ivica Racan said in parliament on Friday after benches expressed their views of the tribunal's recent indictment against Gen. Janko Bobetko.
ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - The Croatian government will use
cooperation and not conflict with the Hague-based UN war crimes
tribunal to protect the values of the state and of the Homeland War
from unjust accusations, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said in
parliament on Friday after benches expressed their views of the
tribunal's recent indictment against Gen. Janko Bobetko. #L#
"The pressure on Croatia at this moment is growing, but so is the
government's obligation to defend our position before the Hague
tribunal with legitimate means in order to avert heavy sanctions
and isolation," said Racan.
He reiterated the government wished to use all legal and legitimate
possibilities to achieve its goals and contest what can legally be
contested. However, he said, each move and idea has to be openly
examined and possible consequences estimated.
Such moves must not be kept secret from citizens and must not allow
for surprises, Racan said, recalling that under domestic and
international legislation Croatia is obliged to cooperate with the
tribunal.
The PM said the government disagreed with those asking for changes
to the constitutional law on cooperation with the UN tribunal and
for a referendum to be conducted among citizens regarding this
cooperation. Such irresponsible demands would lead Croatia into
conflict with the UN tribunal and the international community, as
well as to heavy sanctions and isolation, he said.
Croatia is already suffering the consequences of refusing to
extradite Bobetko, Racan said.
He stated the government would continue defending the legitimacy of
the 1990s Homeland War and of all operations undertaken to defend
Croatia from aggression, including the legitimacy of the 1993 Medak
Pocket operation. He added, however, that the crimes which were
perpetrated must not be kept silent about.
"Sporadic crimes on the Croatian side were covered up, sometimes
even in an organised manner. Had they been prosecuted, Croatia
would have been in a much better position. We have to openly state
this," Racan told MPs.
He said it was imperative to create a better climate in order to
enable the domestic judiciary to independently prosecute war
crimes, particularly in case new indictments were issued.
(hina) ha sb