ZAGREB, July 6 (Hina) - Croatia's outgoing ambassador to Belgium, Ljubomir Cucic, said on Friday his resigning from his post was an act of "personal, professional and moral responsibility," whereas the Foreign Ministry believes his
leaving Belgium is "a serious violation of the rules of service." Cucic told reporters in Zagreb the reason he resigned from his post was primarily "lack of personnel" at the embassy, which, he said, made its normal functioning impossible. The reason why he sought to be relieved of duty is exclusively of professional nature, he said, adding the functioning of the state administration was burdened with "major problems". By leaving his post without being relieved of duty, which is a real precedent in the history of Croatian diplomacy, Cucic said he wanted to protest against the situation "where operative and strategic mistakes damaging Croatia's reputation are made."
ZAGREB, July 6 (Hina) - Croatia's outgoing ambassador to Belgium,
Ljubomir Cucic, said on Friday his resigning from his post was an
act of "personal, professional and moral responsibility," whereas
the Foreign Ministry believes his leaving Belgium is "a serious
violation of the rules of service."
Cucic told reporters in Zagreb the reason he resigned from his post
was primarily "lack of personnel" at the embassy, which, he said,
made its normal functioning impossible.
The reason why he sought to be relieved of duty is exclusively of
professional nature, he said, adding the functioning of the state
administration was burdened with "major problems".
By leaving his post without being relieved of duty, which is a real
precedent in the history of Croatian diplomacy, Cucic said he
wanted to protest against the situation "where operative and
strategic mistakes damaging Croatia's reputation are made."
He confirmed that he left Belgium without the consent of Foreign
Minister Tonino Picula, adding that Picula "is doing his job well
but as he is frequently away, the ministry is without its head and
the secretariat is in charge of communication with diplomatic and
consular offices." Cucic said that many Croatian diplomats were
dissatisfied with the poor communication with the Foreign
Ministry.
The Foreign Ministry today issued a statement saying Ambassador
Cucic left his host country without the Ministry's consent, which,
the statement read, is a serious violation of the rules of service.
The Ministry's legal advisor Ljerka Alajbeg has left for Belgium as
the embassy's charge d'affaires. As regards the reason for Cucic's
resignation, the Ministry said it was only part of the executive
authority and state administration and shared all the problems of
the Croatian society, however, one's tasks must not be neglected.
(hina) sb rml