ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - The Interior Ministry has pressed more than 1,400 criminal charges for war crimes, against both Serbs and Croats, Minister Sime Lucin told Nacional weekly of Tuesday. Asked who was to blame for the fact that a
war crime in the northern town of Bjelovar had been covered up for ten years and if the case was being investigated, Lucin said this was not the only case in which charges had been pressed, and that "it was obviously in somebody's interest not to have this case prosecuted." He added it would be good if those who covered it up were held accountable. On Aug. 24 the Bjelovar-Bilogora County Police Department pressed charges against three retired and one active police officer suspected of war crimes against civilians and prisoners-of-war after killing six and seriously wounding one man in 1991. Speaking about police performance, Lucin said more than 3,500 of the graves
ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - The Interior Ministry has pressed more than
1,400 criminal charges for war crimes, against both Serbs and
Croats, Minister Sime Lucin told Nacional weekly of Tuesday.
Asked who was to blame for the fact that a war crime in the northern
town of Bjelovar had been covered up for ten years and if the case
was being investigated, Lucin said this was not the only case in
which charges had been pressed, and that "it was obviously in
somebody's interest not to have this case prosecuted." He added it
would be good if those who covered it up were held accountable.
On Aug. 24 the Bjelovar-Bilogora County Police Department pressed
charges against three retired and one active police officer
suspected of war crimes against civilians and prisoners-of-war
after killing six and seriously wounding one man in 1991.
Speaking about police performance, Lucin said more than 3,500 of
the gravest forms of economic crimes had been processed, with
damage established at more than 7.5 billion kuna (approx. $893
million), although not one case has been prosecuted. The judiciary
should be asked what happened to the charges, he added.
As for surplus police, which spurred some 3,100 police made
available to the government to protest, Lucin said this step would
help save 220 million kuna (approx. $26.2 million) on wages in one
year. Some saved funds will be used to renovate and bring technology
up to date, he added.
(hina) ha sb