ZAGREB, Dec 24 (Hina) - Asked to comment on yesterday's statement of his advisor - General Imra Agotic - who asserted that crimes in the liberated areas happened after the army had left and the police and military police entered them,
Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on Sunday said Gen. Agotic had not prejudged anybody's guilt but only said that the Croatian army (HV) had not committed crimes.
ZAGREB, Dec 24 (Hina) - Asked to comment on yesterday's statement of
his advisor - General Imra Agotic - who asserted that crimes in the
liberated areas happened after the army had left and the police and
military police entered them, Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on
Sunday said Gen. Agotic had not prejudged anybody's guilt but only
said that the Croatian army (HV) had not committed crimes.#L#
"I believe it is not my duty to comment on the statement of the
general, but if you ask for my opinion I can say that General Agotic
did not intend to establish the liability of anybody, he wanted only
to say that the army did not perpetrate crimes, this is what he
claimed," President Mesic said to reporters who asked him to
comment on the statement Agotic gave to Saturday's issue of the
Vecernji List daily which quoted him as saying that major crimes had
been committed after the military police, police and local
authorities had come in the areas liberated during the 1995
operation "Storm".
After the army passes, then police and military police cover the
ground. Thus, Agotic did not want to say that they were guilty, but
that one should start from that point in attempts to find
perpetrators, Mesic said in Zagreb.
Commenting on the statement Defence Ministry spokesman Dusan Viro
gave reacting upon Agotic's interview when he said that in this way
Agotic pronounced a judgement on the guilt and that this could
hamper the cooperation with the Hague-based international tribunal
(ICTY), Croatia's head of state stressed that Agotic did not
prejudge the guilt of anybody, nor did he accuse anybody.
"Agotic only said that the army had not committed any crime and that
those who assumed the area, also took over the duty to control what
was going on on the ground. The police should establish who is
guilty and hand over liable persons to the judicial system for
further procedure," Mesic explained.
Premier Ivica Racan said it would be more advisable if responsible
statements be given on the issue of war crimes in Croatia and on the
cooperation between Zagreb and the Hague Tribunal and that this
should be done by persons authorised for such a task.
"I am afraid that there are too many irresponsible statements which
facilitate neither Croatia's position nor the clarification of the
situation," PM Racan added.
He stressed that the democratic Croatia was not scared by the truth,
but it would be necessary to see the responsible stand on what had
happened.
I am sorry that we today must discuss the matter, Racan said adding
that he did not want to comment on those statements which he did not
view as "very happy".
If there are democratically elected authorities in Croatia, then
they should be allowed to show what and how much they can do in the
relationship between the country and the Tribunal.
A Deputy Speaker of the national parliament, Zdravko Tomac, said
the state leadership and important factors of the Croatian politics
must agree on a joint strategy on all of these issues (such as the
ICTY-Zagreb cooperation).
Sabor Deputy Speaker stressed that "what is happening now is in any
case detrimental and should cease. If there is no other way, then
the Sabor should define that policy if one segment of authorities
claims one thing, and the other segment claims another. Besides, if
we continue bickering we shall weaken the current difficult
position of Croatia."
(hina) ms