ZAGREB, Dec 29 (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Ministry has resolutely dismissed claims by Democratic Centre (DC) leader Mate Granic who stated on Saturday that the Ministry had reacted belatedly to the murder of three Croats, which
occurred on Christmas Eve in Kostajnica near Konjic, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
ZAGREB, Dec 29 (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Ministry has
resolutely dismissed claims by Democratic Centre (DC) leader Mate
Granic who stated on Saturday that the Ministry had reacted
belatedly to the murder of three Croats, which occurred on
Christmas Eve in Kostajnica near Konjic, Bosnia-Herzegovina. #L#
"It is not true that the Foreign Ministry reacted belatedly,
because the Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Josip Vrbosic,
visited the victims' family shortly after he learned of the
murder," the Ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday
evening.
Vrbosic visited the Andjelic family "as a legitimate
representative of the Croatian state in Bosnia-Herzegovina, after
consultations with Minister Picula... on Christmas Day... and
before any other official from Bosnia-Herzegovina", the ministry
said.
The leader of the opposition's DC, Mate Granic, said the
inefficiency of Croatia's foreign policy was best seen in
connection with the murder of the three Croats as the official
reaction to the event came only 48 hours after it had occurred.
The Ministry said Granic's claim was "political and moral
nonsense". According to the statement, Ambassador Vrbosic visited
Kostajnica on Wednesday afternoon, where he met local municipal
officials and church representatives and visited the Andjelic
family. He then notified Minister Picula of his activities and met
Bosnian Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija, who assured him that
the Bosnian authorities would take all necessary measures and
inform the public about them, reads the statement.
The Croatian Embassy in Bosnia-Herzegovina condemned the crime in a
statement, trusting the competence of the Bosnian authorities,
especially those in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, notes the
statement. The Foreign Ministry also issued a statement condemning
the grave crime and insisting that the perpetrator be brought to
justice.
The incumbent government is making efforts to remove "the grave
consequences of the Croatian policy at the time when Mate Granic was
at the helm of the Foreign Ministry... patiently trying to re-build
damaged partnership relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina that it
inherited", read the statement.
(hina) rml