ZAGREB, Sept 29 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic said on Friday his message to those wanting to subvert the government with pamphlets was that they had played the wrong card and were not members of the armed forces as of today.
Addressing police officers and state officials on occasion of today's marking of Police Day, Mesic stressed the military must be depoliticised.
ZAGREB, Sept 29 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic said on
Friday his message to those wanting to subvert the government with
pamphlets was that they had played the wrong card and were not
members of the armed forces as of today.
Addressing police officers and state officials on occasion of
today's marking of Police Day, Mesic stressed the military must be
depoliticised.#L#
"If someone wants to engage in politics, they are entitled to do so.
We are not telling them which party to join, but as long as they are
in the military they will not write political pamphlets," he said.
The president today reached a decision on retiring seven active
army generals who were among the 12 signatories of yesterday's open
letter in which they called on state institutions and the media to
oppose the negative and false presentation of the Homeland Defence
War, Croatia's early 1990s war of independence from the former
Yugoslav federation.
Prime Minister Ivica Racan told reporters today he had nothing to
add to Mesic's explanation, and that he respected the president's
decision. He was hopeful there would be no further retirements.
(hina) ha