ORAHOVICA, June 30 (Hina) - A co-ordination of Homeland War associations from Virovitica-Podravina County, which urges the replacement of Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic, on Friday blocked the Podravina road in northern Croatia,
despite a police ban. However, the road was closed for traffic for 40 minutes instead of the announced three hours. The road was blocked by some 200-300 protesters, who between 16.25 and 17.05pm stood in front of a makeshift stage near a gas station in Orahovica. In the meantime, police were re-directing traffic toward the north via Zdenci and Bankovci. Addressing the gathered, the president of the Main Committee of the Croatian Homeland War Disabled Veterans (HVIDR) association, Ivica Perkovic, requested that Prime Minister Ivica Racan replace Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic due to his "insults and humiliating statements during the announcement of results of the disability revision." If Pancic is no
ORAHOVICA, June 30 (Hina) - A co-ordination of Homeland War
associations from Virovitica-Podravina County, which urges the
replacement of Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic, on Friday blocked
the Podravina road in northern Croatia, despite a police ban.
However, the road was closed for traffic for 40 minutes instead of
the announced three hours.
The road was blocked by some 200-300 protesters, who between 16.25
and 17.05pm stood in front of a makeshift stage near a gas station in
Orahovica. In the meantime, police were re-directing traffic
toward the north via Zdenci and Bankovci.
Addressing the gathered, the president of the Main Committee of the
Croatian Homeland War Disabled Veterans (HVIDR) association, Ivica
Perkovic, requested that Prime Minister Ivica Racan replace
Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic due to his "insults and humiliating
statements during the announcement of results of the disability
revision." If Pancic is not replaced, the HVIDR will stage a rally
in St. Mark's Square in Zagreb (in front of the Government building)
and the rally will last until this request is met, Perkovic said.
He also urged that the state commission for the revision of
disability include a HVIDR member and that a debate on the dignity
of the Homeland War be included in the Parliament's agenda as soon
as possible.
The veterans were also addressed by the president of the Croatian
Victimology Society, Zvonimir Separovic. "This is a sad, tragic and
dramatic moment of truth for Croatia because some are denying your
suffering," Separovic said. He told the protesters the Victimology
Society had recently formed a council for the protection of dignity
of the Homeland War.
During the rally, which ended peacefully with the re-opening of the
Podravina road for traffic, the protesters signed a petition
demanding Pancic's replacement.
The head of the Virovitica-Podravina County police, Milan
Baricevic, who was at the site of the rally, told reporters police
would press charges against the organisers of the rally because a
permit for the rally had not been issued due to incomplete documents
submitted by the organisers.
(hina) mm rml