RIJEKA, Sept 29 (Hina) - Deputy Croatian Armed Forces chief-of-staff, Major General Damir Krsticevic, one of the signatories to letter forwarded on Thursday by 12 Croatian generals to the public and institutions, said Friday he
respected the President's decision to retire him. Commander of the Armed Forces 5th Military District, Major General Milenko Filipovic, refused to comment on the Croatian President's decision, saying he had no official information about the issue. General Krsticevic, who was present at the celebration of the ninth anniversary of the 5th Military District in Rijeka, told reporters the decision was the unquestionable right of the armed forces commander-in-chief. He said he had signed the letter together with his war-time commanding officers and other generals because he held "this is a part of my debt to the 192 killed fellow soldiers to whom I was commanding officer, to about
RIJEKA, Sept 29 (Hina) - Deputy Croatian Armed Forces chief-of-
staff, Major General Damir Krsticevic, one of the signatories to
letter forwarded on Thursday by 12 Croatian generals to the public
and institutions, said Friday he respected the President's
decision to retire him.
Commander of the Armed Forces 5th Military District, Major General
Milenko Filipovic, refused to comment on the Croatian President's
decision, saying he had no official information about the issue.
General Krsticevic, who was present at the celebration of the ninth
anniversary of the 5th Military District in Rijeka, told reporters
the decision was the unquestionable right of the armed forces
commander-in-chief.
He said he had signed the letter together with his war-time
commanding officers and other generals because he held "this is a
part of my debt to the 192 killed fellow soldiers to whom I was
commanding officer, to about 1,500 wounded fellow soldiers and the
families of all of them."
"I also hold that the dignity of the Homeland Defence War, as the
foundation on which the sovereign and independent State of Croatia
was established, should be upheld consistently," Krsticevic said.
He stressed it was clear to him that, as a soldier, he was not
supposed to have signed the letter, "but my only goal is the truth
about the Homeland Defence War and the people who participated in it
and gained victory".
Krsticevic asserted he respected the current Croatian authorities,
along with President Stipe Mesic and Prime Minister Ivica Racan, as
well as its other functionaries.
He added he found it unclear why he was not at least spoken to about
the stances in the letter he had signed, because as a highly
educated military commander, both at home and abroad, who also has a
rich war experience, can still contribute a lot to the benefit of
the Croatian Armed Forces and his homeland in general.
"With my thirty two years of age I am in my prime years, I am
honourable and honest, I have found no personal gain in the homeland
war, I am not a member of any political party, the only party I
belong to is the Croatian State," Krsticevic said.
(hina) lml jn