OSIJEK, Oct 3 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados on Tuesday confirmed that a county office of the State Prosecution had received an addition from the military police crime department to charges pressed against a few
high-ranking officers of the Croatian Armed Forces, such as Generals Ljubo Cesic Rojs, Vladimir Zagorec and Matko Kakarigi. "More than four months ago we preferred charges to the state prosecutor. A part of charges has been processed in line with the legal system and a part has been returned to be supplemented so that such charges, being more precise, could be processed," Rados said in the eastern city of Osijek. Asked by reporters he added that new charges had been forwarded in relation to the business activities of the Defence Ministry and that the military police were continuing to do their job, and therefore it was possible for additional charges to appear.
OSIJEK, Oct 3 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados on
Tuesday confirmed that a county office of the State Prosecution had
received an addition from the military police crime department to
charges pressed against a few high-ranking officers of the Croatian
Armed Forces, such as Generals Ljubo Cesic Rojs, Vladimir Zagorec
and Matko Kakarigi.
"More than four months ago we preferred charges to the state
prosecutor. A part of charges has been processed in line with the
legal system and a part has been returned to be supplemented so that
such charges, being more precise, could be processed," Rados said
in the eastern city of Osijek.
Asked by reporters he added that new charges had been forwarded in
relation to the business activities of the Defence Ministry and
that the military police were continuing to do their job, and
therefore it was possible for additional charges to appear.
On 31 May this year, the military police, i.e. the defence ministry,
pressed charges against several high-ranking army officer owing to
some forms of economic crime.
Commenting on the relations between the defence ministry and the
President of the Republic, Minister Rados assessed that the
relations were imprecisely regulated by laws.
"In the former relations between political officials the
relationship was not organised and was based on the extraordinary
political power of the (late) President who controlled both the
national parliament and the Government," Rados told reporters
adding that "at present it is not such a case but those relations
should clearly be regulated by law."
He stressed that circumstances under which the country lived in
recent months since the change in authorities were not favourable
for efforts to define the relation. "We have been faced with a
series of everyday problems and to date that communication has not
been arranged in a systematic manner," Rados explained.
"During my latest conversation with the President (Mesic) it was
clear that the communication should be made regular on the grounds
of some good experiences or even regulations."
Commenting on media speculations about the introduction of a
commissioner for defence, Rados responded that he thought "it will
not be a good solution to create a new institutions. It would be
better to make the current (institution) more effective..."
In relation to the last Thursday's letter of 12 generals, seven of
whom were subsequently retired, the minister answered there was no
need for a comment. He, however, added that " in their public
addresses, retired officers of the Croatian Armed Forces are often
beyond some code of conduct for retired generals, in sense that they
openly problematise or politically evaluate relations inside the
armed forces."
Rados emphasised that his ministry had no authorities to control
the activities of retired officers and that they have the right to
act politically, but, "it would be good that their political and
public activities are not concentrated on the army, because they
contribute to the politicisation of the armed forces, due to
(their) possible influence and reputation."
In this context he stressed that this was a general remark and did
not refer only to the latest case but covered, in general, public
appearances of the retired officers.
Asked about the amount of generals' pension, Rados said "it comes to
five thousand kuna, without disability benefits."
(hina) ms