ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Thursday said the new authorities have from the start been faced with manipulation and attempts aimed at manipulating their relationship with the Hague war crimes tribunal and
their stands regarding the Homeland War. He said the chief manipulators were extremists as well as individuals who felt threatened because of their misdeeds in Croatia's economic and political life. "We are faced with an attempt by extremist groups to organise meetings throughout Croatia... I can assure the citizens of Croatia that they need not be afraid of those protest rehearsals," Racan said, commenting on yesterday's protest meeting in Gospic. The democratic maturity of Croatian citizens is being underestimated, the Prime Minister said, adding there was no reason for concern because such attempts would not be successful. The new government is ready to talk with all those who accept de
ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Thursday
said the new authorities have from the start been faced with
manipulation and attempts aimed at manipulating their relationship
with the Hague war crimes tribunal and their stands regarding the
Homeland War.
He said the chief manipulators were extremists as well as
individuals who felt threatened because of their misdeeds in
Croatia's economic and political life. "We are faced with an
attempt by extremist groups to organise meetings throughout
Croatia... I can assure the citizens of Croatia that they need not
be afraid of those protest rehearsals," Racan said, commenting on
yesterday's protest meeting in Gospic.
The democratic maturity of Croatian citizens is being
underestimated, the Prime Minister said, adding there was no reason
for concern because such attempts would not be successful.
The new government is ready to talk with all those who accept
democratic communication,... with representatives of authority
throughout Croatia, including those in Gospic. However, it will not
talk with those who abuse and manipulate topics such as the
relationship toward the Homeland War. We do not intend to talk with
extremists because one must not be tolerant towards those who lack
tolerance themselves, Racan said.
Homeland War associations on Wednesday organised a meeting in
Gospic, protesting the work of Hague investigators in the Gospic
area, which is believed to be connected with the possibility that
the Hague tribunal might issue indictments against some high-
ranking Croatian Army officers. The meeting criticised the
government for its relationship with the Hague tribunal,
especially regarding a recently adopted declaration on cooperation
with the tribunal.
The protesters greeted the Minister of Homeland War Soldiers, Ivica
Pancic, with catcalls, not allowing him to address the gathering.
Racan said the Declaration on Cooperation decisively defended the
Homeland War as well as those who won that war to Croatia's benefit.
The Homeland War and the joint struggle are best defended by
protecting the values of that struggle, as well as the dignity of
Croatian soldiers, separating them from individual crimes and
their perpetrators, who have nothing in common with true Homeland
War soldiers, Racan said.
Commenting on messages given by individuals at yesterday's protest
that the traitors of national interests, by which they meant the
incumbent government, would be tried, Racan repeated that Croatian
national interests were being betrayed by those who wished to
conceal individual, and fortunately rare crimes, and equate their
perpetrators with Homeland War Soldiers.
(hina) mm rml