ZAGREB, July 8 (Hina) - The Social Liberals (HSLS) stand by their negative stance on extradition on the basis on two indictments from the Hague war crimes tribunal which "contain unacceptable political assessments of the genocidal
character of the Homeland Defence War and the Croatian army's liberation operations." HSLS president Drazen Budisa told reporters on Sunday the indictments were not based only on command responsibility but contained elements accusing the entire Croatia of genocide and treating Operation Storm as a plan devised for the expulsion of 150,000 Serbs from Croatia. Budisa said he had not yet seen the indictments, which are sealed. He based his claim on objections the prime minister had forwarded to The Hague and which were presented to the presidents of the ruling coalition's parties at an extraordinary session on Saturday. The HSLS, one of the five parties making up the coalition, according
ZAGREB, July 8 (Hina) - The Social Liberals (HSLS) stand by their
negative stance on extradition on the basis on two indictments from
the Hague war crimes tribunal which "contain unacceptable
political assessments of the genocidal character of the Homeland
Defence War and the Croatian army's liberation operations."
HSLS president Drazen Budisa told reporters on Sunday the
indictments were not based only on command responsibility but
contained elements accusing the entire Croatia of genocide and
treating Operation Storm as a plan devised for the expulsion of
150,000 Serbs from Croatia.
Budisa said he had not yet seen the indictments, which are sealed.
He based his claim on objections the prime minister had forwarded to
The Hague and which were presented to the presidents of the ruling
coalition's parties at an extraordinary session on Saturday.
The HSLS, one of the five parties making up the coalition, according
to Budisa could not consent to the aforementioned political
assessments of the character of the Homeland War and the creation of
the Croatian state.
"It is unacceptable, absurd and immoral to talk about command
responsibility and equate (former Yugoslav President) Slobodan
Milosevic with Croatian generals who led the Croatian army in the
liberation of the country which had been occupied by a Milosevic-
led army," said Budisa.
Commenting on PM Ivica Racan's announcements that he would request
parliament to take a vote of confidence in the government as soon as
possible, Budisa said HSLS' stance on the matter would depend on
political consultations that might be held in the next few days.
He said the HSLS was not deliberately destabilising the government.
Four HSLS ministers in the Racan Cabinet tendered their
resignations in the wake of the government decision yesterday.
Asked if the HSLS would leave the ruling coalition, Budisa said he
did not know.
He reminded that before the government reached the decision on
extradition, the HSLS had told its four coalition partners that
disagreement with the decision did not imply the HSLS would leave
the coalition. "The partners did not accept this, saying full
consensus was necessary. For the HSLS this was impossible."
Asked to confirm his claim of yesterday that Reconstruction
Minister Radimir Cacic too had resigned, Budisa said he had been
informed incorrectly. HSLS vice president and Economy Minister
Goranko Fizulic, who has resigned, said that during yesterday's
government session "Cacic at one moment resigned, but it is unclear
if he has stood by the resignation."
Budisa called on citizens to refrain from causing any disturbance
which would lead Croatia into political chaos at a very delicate
economic time.
(hina) ha