ZAGREB, Oct 7 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of the rocket attack launched on the President's Palace, the then headquarters of President Franjo Tudjman. HDZ president Ivo Sanader
said October 7, 1991, was one the crucial days for Croatia's fate. At a ceremony, held in Zagreb's Esplanade hotel on Sunday, Sanader said the air raid launched by the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) aimed at killing the then Croatian President Tudjman. JNA aircraft launched the attack at 15.03 hours, and a coincidence saved President Tudjman, the then Prime Minister of the Federal Government Ante Markovic and the Chairman of the Yugoslav Presidency Stipe Mesic from a certain death. One person, who happened to be standing next to the nearby restaurant was killed and four were injured in the air raid. Apart from the President's Palace, the air raid was also launched on several buildings i
ZAGREB, Oct 7 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Sunday
marked the 10th anniversary of the rocket attack launched on the
President's Palace, the then headquarters of President Franjo
Tudjman.
HDZ president Ivo Sanader said October 7, 1991, was one the crucial
days for Croatia's fate.
At a ceremony, held in Zagreb's Esplanade hotel on Sunday, Sanader
said the air raid launched by the former Yugoslav People's Army
(JNA) aimed at killing the then Croatian President Tudjman. JNA
aircraft launched the attack at 15.03 hours, and a coincidence
saved President Tudjman, the then Prime Minister of the Federal
Government Ante Markovic and the Chairman of the Yugoslav
Presidency Stipe Mesic from a certain death.
One person, who happened to be standing next to the nearby
restaurant was killed and four were injured in the air raid. Apart
from the President's Palace, the air raid was also launched on
several buildings in the area.
Speaking of the current situation in the country, the HDZ president
called for national consensus regarding important national and
state interests, also mentioning cooperation with the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the
issue of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina and emigrants and a
standpoint on a Western Balkans' idea. He wondered whether changes
implemented by the government were really necessary, including the
change of Croatian Statehood Day. Referring to cooperation with the
ICTY, Sander, who was welcomed with an applause, called upon the
officials not to act in line with ICTY indictments against retired
Croatian Army general Ante Gotovina.
Also calling for the calming of political tensions in the country,
Sanader called upon representatives of the authority to stop giving
statements, which were provoking reactions in the HDZ on regular
basis, as well as in homeland war associations, stressing such
statements encouraged polarisation and divisions. He particularly
pointed to the statement made by vice premier Slavko Linic
according to which the HDZ, while in power, did more damage than the
Greater Serbian aggression.
Today's ceremony was attended by about 150 HDZ members and former
state officials. Also present was Drazen Budisa who was invited to
attend the ceremony as a minister in the Government of National
Unity in 1991.
(hina) it sb