ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - "We have always defended principles and not certain people and will continue opposing parts of the Hague indictments which we deem unfounded and which bring into question the military operation Storm," deputy
parliamentary speaker Zdravko Tomac said on Saturday. He was commenting on parts of an interview referring to relations with the Hague war crimes tribunal given by Drazen Budisa, a candidate for the president of the ruling coalition's Social Liberals (HSLS). In Saturday's interview with two Croatian dailies, Budisa recalled a statement Tomac made last summer to the effect that "the government managed to clear six senior officials of accusations by the Hague tribunal." "There were more than six suspects on the list, it was a long list. The Croatian government objected to it and the Hague tribunal in part acknowledged its standpoints," Tomac said but declined to say which people this referred to
ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - "We have always defended principles and not
certain people and will continue opposing parts of the Hague
indictments which we deem unfounded and which bring into question
the military operation Storm," deputy parliamentary speaker
Zdravko Tomac said on Saturday.
He was commenting on parts of an interview referring to relations
with the Hague war crimes tribunal given by Drazen Budisa, a
candidate for the president of the ruling coalition's Social
Liberals (HSLS).
In Saturday's interview with two Croatian dailies, Budisa recalled
a statement Tomac made last summer to the effect that "the
government managed to clear six senior officials of accusations by
the Hague tribunal."
"There were more than six suspects on the list, it was a long list.
The Croatian government objected to it and the Hague tribunal in
part acknowledged its standpoints," Tomac said but declined to say
which people this referred to.
He reminded he had sent a 16-page letter to chief prosecutor Carla
del Ponte, explaining parliament's conclusions and Croatia's
policy in connection with its cooperation with the UN tribunal. She
had promised to answer the letter, but has not done so yet.
Tomac said he did not wish to publish the letter then but would do so
now when "it will transpire that we did not consider protecting some
and accusing others at all."
In his interview, Budisa wondered why the government failed to
clear generals Rahim Ademi and Ante Gotovina of the indictments.
Tomac said he had never heard that del Ponte had told Deputy Prime
Minister Goran Granic that the names on the indictments would suit
the Croatian government for political reasons, which Budisa
alleged Granic had told him.
Commenting on the same part of the Budisa interview, Mate Granic of
the opposition's Democratic Centre said it was impermissible that
the Hague tribunal and its prosecutor's office should make
political considerations. The tribunal's job is to try and that of
the prosecutor's office to prosecute war crimes and not become
involved in a country's political situation, he said.
Granic described the Budisa interview as the political event of the
week pointing to probable early elections. He maintains it is
unlikely that as ruling coalition partners, Budisa and Prime
Minister Ivica Racan, of the Social Democrats (SDP), will find a
common language.
Speaking on Croatian Radio, Vesna Pusic of the ruling coalition's
People's Party (HNS) said that at this moment, Budisa's statements
were directed primarily at the HSLS leadership, which she said
could take a position on the matter at its February electoral
assembly.
Zlatko Kramaric of the ruling coalition's Liberal Party (LS) said
Budisa's statements should be viewed in the context of the upcoming
HSLS electoral assembly.
(hina) ha sb