ZAGREB, Oct 19 (Hina) - The national Headquarters for the protection of Homeland War values has forwarded to the government eight requests, demanding that the government respond immediately to some of them and the rest by October 27
this year. "If the government does not respond to those requests or rejects them, the Headquarters has the right to use all methods of civil disobedience," Headquarters president Mirko Condic said at a news conference on Friday, organised ahead of tomorrow's protest rally, to be held in Zagreb's central square under the slogan "Time's Up". The association urges the government to suggest that parliament call a referendum on the basis of more than 400,000 signatures, so that Croatian citizens could decide if Homeland War soldiers should enjoy the same rights and reputation as members of the allied forces after World War II. The government has been requested to call the referendum
ZAGREB, Oct 19 (Hina) - The national Headquarters for the
protection of Homeland War values has forwarded to the government
eight requests, demanding that the government respond immediately
to some of them and the rest by October 27 this year.
"If the government does not respond to those requests or rejects
them, the Headquarters has the right to use all methods of civil
disobedience," Headquarters president Mirko Condic said at a news
conference on Friday, organised ahead of tomorrow's protest rally,
to be held in Zagreb's central square under the slogan "Time's Up".
The association urges the government to suggest that parliament
call a referendum on the basis of more than 400,000 signatures, so
that Croatian citizens could decide if Homeland War soldiers should
enjoy the same rights and reputation as members of the allied forces
after World War II. The government has been requested to call the
referendum by October 27 and organise it by December 20 this year.
The government's answer is expected by October 27 this year.
The Headquarters also demands that the Interior Ministry withdraw
its arrest warrant for General Ante Gotovina and reject the
carrying out of an international warrant for his arrest, as well as
to discontinue the prosecution, searches for, arrests and hand-
over of Croatian soldiers until the referendum is held, and later
act in line with its results.
The Headquarters demands that a bill on war veterans' rights be
withdrawn from parliamentary procedure, unlawfully dismissed
police officers given back their jobs, dismissals of Croatian army
officers discontinued, the rights of new mothers and mothers with
small children and child allowances changed back to the previous
level and that the government stop implementing orders by the
International Monetary Fund and make its agreement with that
institution public.
Condic expects that tens of thousands of people will gather at
tomorrow's rally, which should last three to four hours. He said the
gathering would be addressed by retired Croatian generals and
representatives of war veterans' associations, but not by party
leaders.
The Headquarters has been acquainted with plans to compromise the
protest by infiltrating riot instigators wearing Ustasha
uniforms.
(hina) sb rml