ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic told Croatian Radio on Monday that his reaction to provocations at the marking of the tenth anniversary of the Fourth Guard Brigade in Split was not inappropriate, stressing he
"did not take part in duels with protesters at any time". Mesic blames the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for the incident last week. "I do not know to whom I should apologise. I believe somebody should apologise to me because I was the one who was insulted," Mesic stressed. It is commendable that the army took no part in this, but the military police should have not allowed such an incident to occur. The organisers of the attacks abused the celebration in Split, and they should not remain unidentified, he said. The president said he is frequently a target of attacks only because he questioned somebody's privileges. He reiterated several times that the HDZ stood behind the attacks. Those who insulted h
ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic told Croatian
Radio on Monday that his reaction to provocations at the marking of
the tenth anniversary of the Fourth Guard Brigade in Split was not
inappropriate, stressing he "did not take part in duels with
protesters at any time".
Mesic blames the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for the incident
last week.
"I do not know to whom I should apologise. I believe somebody should
apologise to me because I was the one who was insulted," Mesic
stressed.
It is commendable that the army took no part in this, but the
military police should have not allowed such an incident to occur.
The organisers of the attacks abused the celebration in Split, and
they should not remain unidentified, he said.
The president said he is frequently a target of attacks only because
he questioned somebody's privileges. He reiterated several times
that the HDZ stood behind the attacks.
Those who insulted him in Split are expressing solidarity with a
group of Chetniks who fled from Croatia, and who are filing a suit
against him before the international war crimes tribunal to save
(former Yugoslav President) Slobodan Milosevic, he asserted.
"If I am a witness against Milosevic and they are attacking me, they
must be solidified with those who are defending him," Mesic said.
They are being solidified with those in Belgrade who still want to
destroy Bosnia-Herzegovina, the President said, adding that he
presented an obstacle to them because he wants an integral Bosnia-
Herzegovina in which the Croat people will be constitutive and
equal.
I do not wish the promotion of a policy which wants to solve
demographic problems in Croatia by settling Bosnian Croats leaving
Croat territories in Bosnia abandoned, which is only of use to the
enemies of the Croat people, Mesic said.
As regards the Slobodna Dalmacija daily, Mesic explained he
connected his assessments of fascism with racist articles and
commentaries which appeared in the paper. I never equated the
entire daily with this assessment, Mesic stressed.
Asked who stood behind all this, Mesic said, although aware of
possible reactions, he must say it was the HDZ party.
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