ZAGREB, Feb 11 (Hina) - Miroslav Tudjman, the deputy head of the Office for National Security and head of the Croatian Intelligence Service, on Friday tended parliament president Zlatko Tomcic his resignation to the said offices.
Tudjman said in a letter his intention was to tender the resignation to newly-elected Croatian President Stipe Mesic immediately upon Mesic's inauguration on February 18, but pointed out he decided to do so today in the wake of a statement Mesic gave to French daily Le Monde and which was published yesterday. According to France Presse, Mesic allowed himself a little joke while speaking to Le Monde. "Do you know the difference between (late Croatian President Franjo) Tudjman and (Yugoslav President Slobodan) Milosevic?" he was quoted in the paper. "One is six foot under his homeland, while the other cannot leave his homeland," he answered. "With this shameful statement, in
ZAGREB, Feb 11 (Hina) - Miroslav Tudjman, the deputy head of the
Office for National Security and head of the Croatian Intelligence
Service, on Friday tended parliament president Zlatko Tomcic his
resignation to the said offices.
Tudjman said in a letter his intention was to tender the resignation
to newly-elected Croatian President Stipe Mesic immediately upon
Mesic's inauguration on February 18, but pointed out he decided to
do so today in the wake of a statement Mesic gave to French daily Le
Monde and which was published yesterday.
According to France Presse, Mesic allowed himself a little joke
while speaking to Le Monde. "Do you know the difference between
(late Croatian President Franjo) Tudjman and (Yugoslav President
Slobodan) Milosevic?" he was quoted in the paper. "One is six foot
under his homeland, while the other cannot leave his homeland," he
answered.
"With this shameful statement, in which he equates Croatia's first
president Franjo Tudjman and Slobodan Milosevic, Stipe Mesic has
rejected all political, moral, and professional standards of good
and/or acceptable behaviour. And thus every possibility that I
could even formally communicate with him, even by resigning in
writing," Miroslav Tudjman wrote in his letter, adding the
resignation was written on February 7.
Not to react to Mesic's jokes about Croatia's first president would
mean giving into historical oblivion and utter moral bankruptcy, he
said in the letter.
Tudjman appealed to Tomcic to accept his resignation in the name of
all the values on which the Croatian state was created, and of all
those who created it.
He reminded late President Tudjman had led Croatia to complete
freedom, independence, and international recognition, thus
fulfilling the hopes and expectations of all Croatian citizens.
The letter also points out today's coalition government would not
be possible without the reconciliation philosophy late President
Tudjman had advocated and incorporated as the fundamental
objective of Croatian politics.
(hina) ha mm