ZAGREB, Feb 8 (Hina) - Drazen Budisa, an MP and president of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS), on Monday refused to testify before the Croatian National Sabor's Commission of Inquiry regarding the circumstances in which a plan
called "Fox" was created, its authors and their motives. Budisa was warned by the Commission's head Vladimir Seks that he could face a prison sentence of six months to a year or be ordered to pay fines of US$7,500 to 150,000 if he refused to testify. "I refuse to testify in the case which has been modified and in which the main aim, the destruction of my (HSLS) party, is not being mentioned. I am ready to go to prison for six months, if necessary", Budisa said. Budisa said he refused to testify as long as Seks was chairing the Commission, claiming that Seks had prejudged the outcome of the investigation by stating, during a parliamentary debate, that the plan "Fo
ZAGREB, Feb 8 (Hina) - Drazen Budisa, an MP and president of the
Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS), on Monday refused to testify
before the Croatian National Sabor's Commission of Inquiry
regarding the circumstances in which a plan called "Fox" was
created, its authors and their motives.
Budisa was warned by the Commission's head Vladimir Seks that he
could face a prison sentence of six months to a year or be ordered to
pay fines of US$7,500 to 150,000 if he refused to testify.
"I refuse to testify in the case which has been modified and in which
the main aim, the destruction of my (HSLS) party, is not being
mentioned. I am ready to go to prison for six months, if necessary",
Budisa said.
Budisa said he refused to testify as long as Seks was chairing the
Commission, claiming that Seks had prejudged the outcome of the
investigation by stating, during a parliamentary debate, that the
plan "Fox" was actually a plan called "Badger".
It became clear at a parliamentary session on December 11 last year,
when MPs were deciding about the establishment of the commission of
inquiry, that the HSLS and the ruling Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) used the name "Fox" for two different texts.
When speaking about the "Fox" plan, HSLS officials have in mind an
anonymous and undated text, bearing no title, but including a
statement which says that the text would be given a conspiracy name
"Fox". The plan speaks about seizing power in a political party and
the HSLS believes that it had been written by police.
On the other hand, the HDZ applies the name "Fox" to another text,
bearing a date and the signature of the then HSLS vice president
Goran Granic, which speaks about the Opposition's causing early
elections and winning a parliament majority. The HSLS claims that
that text is known under the name "Badger".
Budisa said one of the reasons he refused to testify was that the
decision on forming the commission of inquiry did not mention that
the commission's purpose should be to investigate whether the "Fox"
plan was a plan aimed at destroying a parliamentary party, or a plan
aimed at causing a parliamentary crisis. This is what the HSLS,
which requested the establishment of the commission, had asked
for.
Two members of the Commission left the commission for the same
reasons.
Seks dismissed Budisa's objections as unfounded saying he
guaranteed that one of the aims of the investigation would be what
Budisa requested.
Seks said the Commission's basic aims were to establish the authors
of the "Fox" plan, its text, and whether there is a connection
between the text and the 1994 parliamentary crisis, that is, the
current events in the Sabor - the resignation of Opposition Six
representatives from all parliament posts except those as Members
of Parliament.
HSLS representative Jozo Rados testified before the Commission
about the circumstances in which the plan "Fox" was composed. Rados
said that the plan was aimed at destabilising the HSLS and that it
gathered a group of party officials, who later went over to the HDZ
and the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP).
Speaking about the "Badger" plan, Rados said that the plan had been
written by Goran Granic and that it was to serve as a HSLS strategy
of political activities.
However, the party bodies never accepted the document as their own,
Rados said, adding that the text had only been later entitled
"Badger", but not by the HSLS.
After Rados, another six witnesses, including Goran Granic, are to
testify.
(hina) jn rml