SPLIT SPLIT, May 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Armed Forces' Fourth Guard Brigade marked its tenth anniversary in the Dracevac barracks near the southern Adriatic city of Split on Saturday in the presence of President Stipe Mesic, Defence
Minister Jozo Rados, and the military chief-of-staff, Gen. Petar Stipetic. The ceremony began with an incident when a group of retired Fourth Brigade members and relatives of its killed members booed Mesic by shouting "Gypsy" and "thief". Gen. Stipetic was also booed, unlike Minister Rados and retired Gen. Damir Krsticevic, the Brigade's war-time commander, who were greeted with applause. During Mesic's address, a rowdy group led by retired Lt. Col. Mirko Condic left the event. The President called on the Fouth Brigade not to let anyone pull them into political showdowns. "Only a depoliticised military can defend the homeland," he said, adding education and professional training were the onl
SPLIT, May 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Armed Forces' Fourth Guard
Brigade marked its tenth anniversary in the Dracevac barracks near
the southern Adriatic city of Split on Saturday in the presence of
President Stipe Mesic, Defence Minister Jozo Rados, and the
military chief-of-staff, Gen. Petar Stipetic.
The ceremony began with an incident when a group of retired Fourth
Brigade members and relatives of its killed members booed Mesic by
shouting "Gypsy" and "thief". Gen. Stipetic was also booed, unlike
Minister Rados and retired Gen. Damir Krsticevic, the Brigade's
war-time commander, who were greeted with applause.
During Mesic's address, a rowdy group led by retired Lt. Col. Mirko
Condic left the event.
The President called on the Fouth Brigade not to let anyone pull
them into political showdowns. "Only a depoliticised military can
defend the homeland," he said, adding education and professional
training were the only road to NATO.
"Although the first results of democratisation in Croatia can be
seen, (Croatia) is none the less in a complex situation, and the
most important thing is to expedite its economic development in
order to overcome the social crisis which affects the Croatian
Armed Forces as well," said Mesic. "Modernising the Croatian Armed
Forces is a necessity which cannot be avoided," he added.
Other addresses focused on the Fourth Brigade's exploits in the
1990s war, during which time 10,000 young men passed through the
Brigade, 193 were killed and 1,600 wounded.
President Mesic decorated the Brigade with the Prince Domagoj Order
with Chain, while the most deserving individuals were presented
with high medals.
Asked by reporters to comment on the insults hurled at him today,
Mesic said he "has just learned that Belgrade has accused me of
alleged war crimes before The Hague... And here today I heard
racist, even fascist remarks. They even shouted 'thief', probably
because I live in a simple flat, Because I haven't taken anything
and don't even have a country house."
(hina) ha sb