WASHINGTON, July 4 (Hina) - A Washington-based lobbying firm "Patton Boggs" on Monday confirmed that they have claims on the basis of a contract with Croatian Foreign Ministry. In addition, a Chicago-based law firm "Pedersen and
Houpt" has sued Croatia's Government over one half million dollars of a debt for its defence of Bosnian Croat Ante Furundzija before the Hague-based international tribunal (ICTY). Croatia's Ambassador to the United States, Miomir Zuzul, on Saturday told Hina that there was a contract with the firm "Patton Boggs". "The debt towards "Patton Boggs" is not contentious," Zuzul said. Stephen Gavin, an employee with "Patton Boggs", who was in charge of lobbying for Croatia at the Congress and the U.S. Administration, on Monday declined to give more details on the current state of affairs. According to some information, in line with the then Croatian Government's cons
WASHINGTON, July 4 (Hina) - A Washington-based lobbying firm
"Patton Boggs" on Monday confirmed that they have claims on the
basis of a contract with Croatian Foreign Ministry. In addition, a
Chicago-based law firm "Pedersen and Houpt" has sued Croatia's
Government over one half million dollars of a debt for its defence
of Bosnian Croat Ante Furundzija before the Hague-based
international tribunal (ICTY).
Croatia's Ambassador to the United States, Miomir Zuzul, on
Saturday told Hina that there was a contract with the firm "Patton
Boggs". "The debt towards "Patton Boggs" is not contentious," Zuzul
said. Stephen Gavin, an employee with "Patton Boggs", who was in
charge of lobbying for Croatia at the Congress and the U.S.
Administration, on Monday declined to give more details on the
current state of affairs.
According to some information, in line with the then Croatian
Government's consent, the deal was signed with this firm in
February 1999. It seems that the debt amounts to some 127,000 US
dollars now.
According to The Washington Post, a lawyer from "Pedersen and
Houpt" was a defence attorney of Ante Furundzija, indicted by the
International War Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
in 1995 of violating the Geneva conventions and the law and customs
of war while he had been a commander of the Bosnian Croat unit called
"Jokeri" in central Bosnia.
"Pedersen and Houpt" has taken the legal action against Croatia
before the federal court in Chicago, over Zagreb's failure to
fulfil the commitments form the contract. Namely, the Mostar-based
"Centar za Pravnu Pomoc (Legal Aid Centre)" signed the contract
with this law firm, and the then Croatian Government was a
guarantor. The debt comes to some 500,000 dollars.
(hina) jn ms