ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina) - A Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) vice-president, Andrija Hebrang, has said that "General Janko Bobetko will not accept the indictment because he does not recognise the tribunal at The Hague".
ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina) - A Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) vice-
president, Andrija Hebrang, has said that "General Janko Bobetko
will not accept the indictment because he does not recognise the
tribunal at The Hague". #L#
Hebrang made this statement after a visit to Gen. Bobetko on
Thursday.
Hebrang claimed that Prime Minister Ivica Racan had accepted the
content of the indictment by stating that the government would
forward to the Zagreb County Court a warrant for Bobetko's arrest if
the tribunal's Appeals Chamber refused the government's appeals
against some aspects of the indictment.
He recalled that Racan's first statement about the indictment upon
its receipt was that it was "unconstitutional and unacceptable for
the government", while now the premier was saying something else.
Hebrang said he hoped there was enough time and common sense for the
premier to realise what consequences his decision could have, and
that he had the time to change his decision and stand towards the
indictment, i.e. re-examine it not only formally but content-
wise.
"I call for common sense. This is a critical moment in the history of
Croatia because one spark can light a fire, and that spark could be
the government's decision," Hebrang said.
Everything is in the government's hands, responsibility rests
definitely with the premier, Hebrang said when asked who would
claim responsibility if members of some war veterans' associations
who have been gathering lately in front of Bobetko's home tried to
prevent his being handed the indictment.
The HDZ official added that Bobetko would continue receiving
medical care at home although he had been advised to go to
hospital.
Speaking about the tribunal and its relationship to Croatia,
Hebrang said the tribunal was a political institution designed to
justify Croatia's exclusion from the circle of European
countries.
Explaining his statement, Hebrang said that Croatia had been
excluded from among the European Union with the 1995 decision on the
Schengen border, which he said was the cheapest security border for
the EU. Now attempts are being made to explain European and world
politicians why Croatia is not in that circle, Hebrang said,
claiming this was "a play whose final act was yesterday's visit of
prosecutor Carla Del Ponte to Zagreb".
Gen. Bobetko was today visited by his attorneys Bosiljko Misetic
and Petar Sale. Asked if anything had been agreed on, Misetic
answered "everything".
The head of the national headquarters for the protection of
Homeland War values, Mirko Condic, also visited Bobetko.
Condic told reporters the general had made a decision and was fully
supported by war veterans.
(hina) rml sb