ZAGREB, July 15 (Hina) - Genocide, Croatia's aggression on a phantom Krajina or ethnic cleansing, are not included in the indictments which arrived from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Croatian
Prime Minister Ivica Racan said. The government believes the ICTY is trying to make the commanding responsibility individual, however, not to the full extent, Racan said in the parliament on Sunday while answering to the objections heard in a discussion on a vote of confidence in the government. The Hague Tribunal has not yet exceeded its authority, but it will do so if it accepts some elements of the indictments, said Racan. The government can avoid such instance only if it cooperates with the Hague Tribunal, Racan said, adding that all methods of the struggle are not and cannot be fully transparent. We did not exhaust all the possibilities, we cannot change the indictments but we can dispute
ZAGREB, July 15 (Hina) - Genocide, Croatia's aggression on a
phantom Krajina or ethnic cleansing, are not included in the
indictments which arrived from the International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Croatian Prime Minister Ivica
Racan said. The government believes the ICTY is trying to make the
commanding responsibility individual, however, not to the full
extent, Racan said in the parliament on Sunday while answering to
the objections heard in a discussion on a vote of confidence in the
government.
The Hague Tribunal has not yet exceeded its authority, but it will
do so if it accepts some elements of the indictments, said Racan.
The government can avoid such instance only if it cooperates with
the Hague Tribunal, Racan said, adding that all methods of the
struggle are not and cannot be fully transparent.
We did not exhaust all the possibilities, we cannot change the
indictments but we can dispute them before the Hague Tribunal which
we are ready for, the Premier said.
Racan emphasised that everyone in Croatia was in agreement that
they cannot come to terms with the attempts of rewriting the
history. Disagreements appear only around the method and the
approach to the struggle which, according to Racan, must continue
through cooperation with the Tribunal and the international
community.
Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic confirmed that the content of
the indictments did not contain genocide or the harsh violation of
the Geneva Convention, adding there was not a single incrimination
which did not include the individual responsibility.
The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentary bench joined a
discussion on the confidence vote, after they left the Great Hall at
the beginning of the session, dissatisfied that the aforementioned
discussion was taking place before a discussion on cooperation with
the Hague Tribunal.
On behalf of the HDZ parliamentary bench, Ivo Sanader emphasised
the party advocated cooperation with The Hague, but it opposed that
the Hague tribunal exceeded its authority.
In case the indictments contain unacceptable elements, which the
public speculates, the Premier should have informed the parliament
so that the parties could have supported the government in the
struggle before international organisations.
He assessed that "Croatia's public does not trust the government",
thus the HDZ would not give the government the confidence vote.
The parliamentary benches of Social Democrats Party (SDP), the
Primorje-Gorski Kotar Alliance (PGS)/Slavonia-Baranja Croatian
Party (SBHS), and the national minorities bench supported the
government.
On behalf of the SBHS, Milan Djukic stressed the government must be
more effective in solving the economic problems and protecting
human rights in the next six months.
Mato Arlovic of the SDP bench said the parliament did not only
discuss the confidence in the government, but also what kind of
Croatia was desired - a country based on rule-of-law or a country
where some could be above the law.
Should we fail to give the government the confidence vote, because
it implements the Constitution and laws, it would be only fair to
say that Croatia and the parliament are not able to ensure all that
is necessary for a country based on rule-of-law. Then, he said, the
decision on dissolving the parliament should be passed.
Davor Juric of the PGS/SBHS bench believes the government deserves
the confidence vote because its moves mean the strengthening of the
country's international status and the implementation of started
reforms.
(hina) np/it sb