ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic has said that he reached agreement with Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic on the new Croatian Army Chief-of-Staff, but before the appointment he
could only say that the new Chief-of-Staff would be one of the candidates mentioned in the public.
ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic has said
that he reached agreement with Prime Minister Ivica Racan and
Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic on the new Croatian Army Chief-
of-Staff, but before the appointment he could only say that the new
Chief-of-Staff would be one of the candidates mentioned in the
public. #L#
Mesic gave the statement to reporters at his office on Monday, after
he received a delegation of the Croatian Officer Corps.
Mesic would not say if the incumbent Army Chief-of-Staff Petar
Stipetic would be succeeded by Colonel General Marijan Marekovic or
Colonel General Josip Lucic.
The army chief-of-staff is appointed by the head of state, while the
premier is a co-signatory.
Asked about claims in the "Globus" weekly that "the safety of the
President of the Republic has been jeopardised by personnel changes
and a rebellion among the President's bodyguards", Mesic said that
"the safety of the head of state is much better because the security
personnel has been reinforced".
Mesic dismissed claims that his bodyguards were young and
inexperienced, stating that none of them was under the age of 30.
(hina) rml