SARAJEVO, May 31 (Hina) - The defence minister of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mijo Anic, said on Thursday the agreement on the return of members of the Croat component of the Federation army to their units was not proceeding
as planned due to political pressures. "A group of criminals and thieves are obviously not comfortable that the situation is getting back to normal," Anic told a news conference in Sarajevo. He reminded that on May 16 an agreement was reached enabling the return of all Croat soldiers and officers to their units, regardless of whether they had been loyal to the federation authorities or the Croat National Congress (HNS), a body set up by Ante Jelavic and the leadership of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH). On May 16, Minister Anic and a former commander of the First Guard Corps, General Zlatan Mijo Jelic, and Jelic's assistant Mario Br
SARAJEVO, May 31 (Hina) - The defence minister of the Federation of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mijo Anic, said on Thursday the agreement on
the return of members of the Croat component of the Federation army
to their units was not proceeding as planned due to political
pressures.
"A group of criminals and thieves are obviously not comfortable
that the situation is getting back to normal," Anic told a news
conference in Sarajevo.
He reminded that on May 16 an agreement was reached enabling the
return of all Croat soldiers and officers to their units,
regardless of whether they had been loyal to the federation
authorities or the Croat National Congress (HNS), a body set up by
Ante Jelavic and the leadership of the Croatian Democratic Union of
Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH).
On May 16, Minister Anic and a former commander of the First Guard
Corps, General Zlatan Mijo Jelic, and Jelic's assistant Mario
Bradara agreed on the re-registration of all the 7,225 professional
soldiers and officers within a period of 15 to 20 days so that the
Croat component of the joint Muslim-Croat army could continue
functioning regularly.
"I believe in General Jelic's and Colonel Bradara's sincerity and
readiness to cooperate, however, it is obvious the two of them are
under extreme pressure coming from the HNS," Anic told reporters.
Anic said the "other side" had still not submitted the names of the
people who should be included in personnel services of the
federation army and work on the registration of its members.
A previously arranged meeting of Defence Ministry officials and
former commanders of battalions and companies from the First and
Second Guard Brigades from Mostar and Tomislavgrad has been
cancelled and Anic believes this is further evidence that political
pressure is being exerted on soldiers who only want to do their
job.
However, we will not give up on the May 16 agreement and all those
wishing to register for active military service can do so by June
16, Anic said. He stressed though that those commanders who had been
dismissed could not count on returning to their duties because of
their responsibility for their actions.
Anic also said his ministry would press charges against 18 to 20
other former officials of the Defence Ministry who still had not
handed over their equipment.
(hina) rml