DEPUTY PM CRITICISES MILITARY CHIEF-OF-STAFF

ZAGREB, Oct 6 (Hina) - Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic thinks the case of Gen. Petar Stipetic, the military chief-of-staff, calls for consistency and doing what President Stipe Mesic did when he retired seven generals for "doing what is inappropriate for a soldier." Granic talked on Radio 101 on Saturday in connection with a recent dispute between Stipetic and Defence Minister Jozo Rados. Rados recently described as "deep politicisation and a departure from basic democratic principles" a statement Stipetic made to the effect that "the defence minister wishes to introduce dictatorship", and another one in which Stipetic "commended disobedience to the (military) supreme commander." "The result in this (Stipetic's) case in indisputable," Granic told Radio 101, reminding that in September 2000, President Mesic retired seven active generals of 12 who had issued an open letter accusing the incumbent authorities of "undermining the dignity of the Homeland War." Commenting on a statement the military chief-of-staff made to the effect that he was being illegally wiretapped by military intelligence services, the deputy PM said this had to be established and if that were the case those responsible replaced. (hina) ha