ZAGREB, Feb 14 (Hina) - Parliament's House of Representatives closed Wednesday debate with a new set of conclusions moved by the benches of the ruling coalition's six parties in connection with retired general Mirko Norac, thereby
withdrawing an earlier set drafted when the Norac case broke out last week. Norac is a suspect in war crimes committed against civilians in 1991. His whereabouts are unknown. The issuing of an arrest warrant earlier last week elicited a series of protest rallies in several parts of the country. Today's debate had been requested by the strongest opposition party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), to tackle the original set of conclusions. The lower house will debate the latest set on Thursday. These were also endorsed by the PGS/SBHS (Primorje-Gorski Kotar Alliance/Croatian Party of Slavonia and Baranja) bench and the bench of minority representatives. The conclusions dema
ZAGREB, Feb 14 (Hina) - Parliament's House of Representatives
closed Wednesday debate with a new set of conclusions moved by the
benches of the ruling coalition's six parties in connection with
retired general Mirko Norac, thereby withdrawing an earlier set
drafted when the Norac case broke out last week.
Norac is a suspect in war crimes committed against civilians in
1991. His whereabouts are unknown. The issuing of an arrest warrant
earlier last week elicited a series of protest rallies in several
parts of the country.
Today's debate had been requested by the strongest opposition
party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), to tackle the original
set of conclusions.
The lower house will debate the latest set on Thursday. These were
also endorsed by the PGS/SBHS (Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Alliance/Croatian Party of Slavonia and Baranja) bench and the
bench of minority representatives.
The conclusions demand compliance with provisions from a
declaration on the early 1990s Homeland Defence War, which
parliament adopted last autumn, including the one stipulating that
"in view of the dignity of the Homeland Defence War, the Croatian
judiciary is obliged to prosecute all possible cases of individual
war crimes, serious breaches of the humanitarian law, and all other
crimes committed in the aggression on (Croatia) and in the armed
revolt, and during the Homeland Defence War, by strictly applying
the principles of individual accountability and guilt."
The conclusions remind that said Declaration states the basic value
of Croatia's war of independence from the ex-Yugoslavia was the
establishment and defence of Croatia's state sovereignty and
territorial integrity, which provided conditions for the rule-of-
law and legal functioning of state bodies as the best way for the
further affirmation of the Homeland Defence War.
The conclusions bind the government and all competent state bodies
to act in line with the Constitution and legislation in preventing
activities which could endanger the basic values of the
constitutional order.
The conclusions support the president of the republic, the
government, judicial institutions and all state bodies in
executing their powers. It is stated as necessary to ensure peace
and security for all citizens, as well as a full democratic and
civilised progress for Croatia, without contesting the citizens'
constitutional right to public assembly and peaceful protests.
The conclusions emphasise that ongoing court proceedings do not
endanger the dignity of either the Homeland Defence War or its
veterans, and that any political pressure on the judiciary,
regardless of its source, undermines one of the principle
foundations of Croatia as a law-based state.
The main national headquarters for the protection of the dignity of
the Homeland Defence War, a body coordinating war veterans'
associations, and all citizens are called on "to preserve the
fundamental values of the constitutional order with refined
sensitivity."
(hina) ha