ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Friday night formally endorsed the government's intent to enter a legal dispute with the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with regards to
an indictment against retired Croatian General Janko Bobetko.
ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Friday night
formally endorsed the government's intent to enter a legal dispute
with the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with regards to an indictment against
retired Croatian General Janko Bobetko. #L#
MPs unanimously adopted conclusions, drawn up after a whole-day
discussion, backing the government and all other competent bodies
in instigating legal proceedings before the Hague tribunal, other
international courts and institutions, as well as in initiating
other processes to defend the interests of Croatia and Croatian
individuals, within the framework of cooperation with the Hague
tribunal on the basis of Resolution 827 and other acts of the
Security Council and UN Charter, the ICTY Statute and Regulations
on Procedure and Evidence.
The parliament demands of the government and other governmental
institutions to, in international relations and before
international community bodies, defend the fairness and legitimacy
of the Homeland Defence War and all military liberation
operations.
MPs also request that the government and its institutions defend
the Homeland War by continuing to try possible individual war
crimes and crimes against humanity committed during or after the
Homeland War, establishing the individual liability of the
perpetrator.
The parliament agreed that the government initiate a process before
the Constitutional Court to ascertain the constitutionality of the
Hague tribunal's indictment against Staff General Janko Bobetko.
The Constitutional Court will make its ruling in urgent procedure,
say the parliamentary conclusions for which all 121 members of
parliament voted.
The working group which drew up the conclusions got faced with a
request by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) that the parliament
binds the government to amend the Constitutional Law on cooperation
with the tribunal.
In the end, however, HDZ supported the conclusions after being
promised that the party's request that the Croatian judiciary be
given the right to review the foundation of the Hague's indictment
would be debated at a parliamentary presidency session next
Friday.
Ivo Sanader (HDZ bench) said that Italy, the United States and
France already had this possibility, and such a provision has been
envisaged at the International Criminal Court which had recently
ended the ratification process.
In the adopted conclusions Ante Djapic (Croatian Party of
Rights/Croatian Christian Democratic Union) sees an opportunity
for state institutions to defend the people who defended Croatia.
His recommendation to the government was not to be too impressed by
international pressures on the country, because a people who care
for their dignity would not yield to injustice and would not
extradite people for whom they knew were innocent.
Ivic Pasalic (Croatian Bloc) called on the government to not act
unilaterally in its future moves, but to consult the parliament.
Drazen Budisa of the Croatian Social Liberal Party recalled an
agreement by which the government would not decide on further steps
without agreement from the parliament.
Democratic Centre's Vesna Skare Ozbolt is glad that the conclusions
would make it possible for the constitutional and legal character
of the indictment against Bobetko to be reviewed at the
Constitutional Court.
"We should not allow us win a war and then lose in peace. We must,
therefore, change our vantage point towards The Hague," she said.
Darko Santic (Croatian People's Party/Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Party/Slavonia Baranja Croatian Party bench) said that the
conclusions stated that cooperation with the tribunal continued
and that solely legal elements would be in use.
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly stressed the
conclusions went hand-in-hand with President Stjepan Mesic's
address to the nation which, he said, "was attacked because he
warned about the necessity of fulfilling international obligations
and cooperating with The Hague".
Social Democratic Party's Josip Leko said the conclusions
corresponded with valid domestic and international laws, and said
he was convinced that with them, Croatia would strengthen its legal
system in processing war crimes.
Zlatko Kramaric (Liberal Party) said the conclusions were
Croatia's attempt to acquire a unified legal doctrine in relations
with the tribunal.
Jozo Rados of the Libra party called on all parties to maintain
unity in the national interest, while Luka Trconic (Croatian
Peasants' Party) said by adopting the conclusions, Croatia had
"passed the test" before the public and had given the government an
important instrument in future moves.
(hina) lml sb