ZAGREB, April 21 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic said on Friday he was not positive that the tape recording of a conversation between late President Tudjman and Ivic Pasalic on the sale of "Vecernji list" daily existed. "We
have the tape recordings, and they were authenticated by those who worked on them, therefore the talks regarding the sale of "Vecernji list" are authentic, Mesic told Croatian Radio. "Should the tape recordings be found, there is no doubt that they will be submitted," Mesic said. "I cannot understand why there is so much talk about the recordings because they are not evidence in the court. An authenticated transcript of what was recorded on tape represents evidence in the court. To request tape recordings now means only stalling and preventing those who are concerned to complete their job," Mesic said. Mesic also commented on events in Gospic, where experts of t
ZAGREB, April 21 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic said on
Friday he was not positive that the tape recording of a conversation
between late President Tudjman and Ivic Pasalic on the sale of
"Vecernji list" daily existed.
"We have the tape recordings, and they were authenticated by those
who worked on them, therefore the talks regarding the sale of
"Vecernji list" are authentic, Mesic told Croatian Radio.
"Should the tape recordings be found, there is no doubt that they
will be submitted," Mesic said.
"I cannot understand why there is so much talk about the recordings
because they are not evidence in the court. An authenticated
transcript of what was recorded on tape represents evidence in the
court. To request tape recordings now means only stalling and
preventing those who are concerned to complete their job," Mesic
said.
Mesic also commented on events in Gospic, where experts of the Hague
war crimes tribunal are investigating allegations on graves in
which killed Gospic Serbs were buried, and on claims by part of
Croatian soldiers that the Homeland War is being tacitly
criminalised.
Mesic believes that soldiers "are either not sufficiently informed
or some people are intentionally using volunteers and their
associations to lead this dispute in the wrong direction."
Obstructing the work of Hague investigators is damaging for Croatia
because the country needs the individualisation of guilt, which
will put an end to collective responsibility. Croatia and the
Croatian people thus cease to be hostages to anyone, the President
concluded.
Asked whether the former director of the Croatian Intelligence
Service, Ozren Zunec, would be his new advisor on national
security, Mesic said he did not know, adding he had to talk with
Zunec first. However, considering Zunec's encyclopaedic knowledge
and his competence, I would like to see him in my team of advisors,
Mesic said.
(hina) rml