ZAGREB, May 4 (Hina) - Statements by the president of the Croatian Homeland War Invalids association (HVIDR), Marinko Liovic, saying his association would block border crossings, if that was what it took to defend the rights of
Croatian soldiers, provoked numerous and tumultuous reactions ahead of this year's tourist season. The Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) today expressed grave concern over Liovic's statements as well as over some statements by Croatian Party of Rights' (HSP) president Anto Djapic, who also announced the blockade of roads. "With the aim of fighting acts which in the most crude way call for the destruction of the constitutional order and the legally elected bodies of authority," the HHO in its Statement "demands from the competent bodies, primarily from the State Attorney's Office, to take all measures provided by the law against the above-mentioned persons." Liovic denied having said, a
ZAGREB, May 4 (Hina) - Statements by the president of the Croatian
Homeland War Invalids association (HVIDR), Marinko Liovic, saying
his association would block border crossings, if that was what it
took to defend the rights of Croatian soldiers, provoked numerous
and tumultuous reactions ahead of this year's tourist season.
The Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) today expressed grave
concern over Liovic's statements as well as over some statements by
Croatian Party of Rights' (HSP) president Anto Djapic, who also
announced the blockade of roads.
"With the aim of fighting acts which in the most crude way call for
the destruction of the constitutional order and the legally elected
bodies of authority," the HHO in its Statement "demands from the
competent bodies, primarily from the State Attorney's Office, to
take all measures provided by the law against the above-mentioned
persons."
Liovic denied having said, as the weekly Globus published, that his
association would undermine the tourist season. However, he did
announce the possibility of the association blocking border
crossings if the Government failed to guarantee that the programme
of return of Serbs would not be financed at the expense of the rights
of Croatian soldiers.
HSP's Djapic said the reason why his party was protesting was the
government's policy which equated the aggressors and the victims.
Some associations gathering Croatian Homeland War soldiers and
invalids distanced themselves from Liovic's statements, as did
some HVIDR branches.
The Association of Homeland War Veterans (UHVIDR) issued a
statement warning that such statements were contrary to the
interests of the majority of Croatian soldiers. They do not
contribute in the least to the stabilisation of the country's
economy, nor to its democratisation and admission to European
integration processes, believes the association, which is headed
by Djuro Decak. Decak also urged the new authority to demonstrate a
higher degree of understanding for soldiers' problems.
The Croatian Association of Homeland War Soldiers from Vukovar
(HUVBDR) "Vukovar 91", which is a member of the HVIDR, distanced
itself completely from Liovic's statements.
"We are shocked at Marinko Liovic's statement, even if it is only
partially true, and we distance ourselves completely from it," said
a statement by the HUVBDR.
"Considering that we are also members of the HVIDR, we claim that we
have not authorised the HVIDR president for causing chaos,
undermining the tourist season, blocking roads and carrying out
similar terrorist acts in our country," said the statement, signed
by HUVBDR head Mile Dedakovic-Jastreb. The section of the statement
regarding the rights of soldiers read that the HUVBDR "Vukovar 91"
would fight for those rights with democratic means.
The Association of Persons Suffering from Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder "categorically rejects statements by the HVIDR president
Marinko Liovic," the association's spokesman Zlatko Fela said.
Some state and union officials today also reacted to Liovic's
statements.
(hina) jn rml