ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - We are faced with attempts of obvious pressure and even violence aimed at changing a legitimate court decision, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Friday evening in a statement on a joint stand of the Prime
Minister, President of State Stjepan Mesic and Parliament Speaker Zlatko Tomcic after their meeting at the government building. We reject any political pressure and violence against the judiciary, Racan said, adding Croatia was a law-based state, which was what the Croatian authority wanted to prove. Asked whether there was any new information on retired general Mirko Norac, Racan answered in the negative. "The duty of this authority is to secure passable roads. This is our obligation toward citizens," Racan said, adding "In short, yes to peaceful protests, no to threats of violence." The prime minister expressed belief it would "be confirmed that this democratically-elected
ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - We are faced with attempts of obvious
pressure and even violence aimed at changing a legitimate court
decision, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Friday evening in a
statement on a joint stand of the Prime Minister, President of State
Stjepan Mesic and Parliament Speaker Zlatko Tomcic after their
meeting at the government building.
We reject any political pressure and violence against the
judiciary, Racan said, adding Croatia was a law-based state, which
was what the Croatian authority wanted to prove.
Asked whether there was any new information on retired general
Mirko Norac, Racan answered in the negative.
"The duty of this authority is to secure passable roads. This is our
obligation toward citizens," Racan said, adding "In short, yes to
peaceful protests, no to threats of violence."
The prime minister expressed belief it would "be confirmed that
this democratically-elected authority will protect and defend
Croatia as a law-based state."
The authorities will protect the citizens' right of expression,
opinion, and the right to stage peaceful rallies "even when
imputations are being made against that authority and it is being
insulted," Racan said. The authorities will simultaneously protect
the functioning of the state and citizens' safety, he added.
The prime minister called on all citizens, institutions of
authority and democratic forces to demonstrate with their conduct
that Croatia was ruled by law, able to protect its national
interests "and not cause damage to itself to the benefit of those
who are not inclined toward us."
Asked what measures the government would take to remove road blocks
and which message the three officials wanted to relay with the joint
statement, Racan said: "We wanted to say that we believe in the
maturity and democratic orientation of the majority of Croatian
citizens. We will first call for that and then think about the acts
the state should make to secure its functioning, citizens' safety
and passable roads."
After the Zagreb police yesterday issued a warrant for the arrest of
retired general Mirko Norac, a suspect in 1991 war crimes against
civilians in the Gospic area, war veterans' associations today
staged protest rallies and blocked roads in several towns in
Croatia.
(hina) rml