SARAJEVO, Aug 29 (Hina) - President of the Croat National Congress (HNS) Ante Jelavic today appeared before the Sarajevo Canton Court investigative judge, and then stated "political proceedings" were being carried out against him,
this being a "tendentious, unprofessional and genocide request for initiating an investigation". He added this was possibly only "in Petritsch's protectorate," indicating the international high representative Wolfgang Petritsch, and stressed the protectorate has come to an end. The summons was sent to Jelavic after the cantonal prosecutor, Mustafa Bisic, filed a request for an investigation into seven members of the HNS Presidency, former Bosnian Federation defence minister Miroslav Prce and former deputy commander of the federal army, Dragan Curcic. The aforementioned are being accused of endangering the territorial integrity and coherence of the Bosnian Federation, and demining its defence p
SARAJEVO, Aug 29 (Hina) - President of the Croat National Congress
(HNS) Ante Jelavic today appeared before the Sarajevo Canton Court
investigative judge, and then stated "political proceedings" were
being carried out against him, this being a "tendentious,
unprofessional and genocide request for initiating an
investigation".
He added this was possibly only "in Petritsch's protectorate,"
indicating the international high representative Wolfgang
Petritsch, and stressed the protectorate has come to an end.
The summons was sent to Jelavic after the cantonal prosecutor,
Mustafa Bisic, filed a request for an investigation into seven
members of the HNS Presidency, former Bosnian Federation defence
minister Miroslav Prce and former deputy commander of the federal
army, Dragan Curcic.
The aforementioned are being accused of endangering the
territorial integrity and coherence of the Bosnian Federation, and
demining its defence power.
The HNS as an organisation, is being accused of having separatist
plans, while Jelavic, Prce and Curcic are accused of dismissing
army troops of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO).
Jelavic appeared before the investigative judge accompanied by his
attorneys Josip Muselimovic and Martin Raguz. He described the
hearing as fair.
The new date for the hearing is set for September 17, postponing it
so the defence could prepare better, Jelavic told reporters.
"There is too much political incrimination and I was not prepared
for defence," Jelavic said.
Talking to reporters in Sarajevo before giving his statement in
court, Jelavic said all three peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina must
have guaranteed equal rights, which must be secured through the
upcoming constitutional reforms.
"My message to the Bosnian public and Petritsch's administration
is: same rights for Croats and Serbs should the (Bosnian Serb
entity) Republika Srpska be preserved, or the rescinding of
Republika Srpska and the establishment of a normal cantonal state,"
Jelavic stressed.
His statement was applauded and cheered by about 300 gathered
sympathisers of and officials of the HNS and Jelavic's party, the
Croatian Democratic Union, who arrived in Sarajevo for a show of
support to Jelavic during his hearing.
(hina) lml sb