ZAGREB, Feb 22 (Hina) - Another witness has refused to testify before the Croatian Sabor's commission of inquiry investigating the case involving a plan called "Fox". Marjan Rozic, a former member of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party
(HSLS) and today one of the leaders of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) on Monday made his testimony conditional upon the testimony of the HSLS president Drazen Budisa, who had refused to testify before the commission at a session held on February 8. At the session, Budisa refused to testify claiming that the subject and goal of the investigation had been changed and that the commission, instead of investigating facts regarding the "Fox" plan, was investigating another plan, called "Badger". The HSLS party, which had initiated the establishment of the commission, requested that the commission discover the authors of the anonymous plan called "Fox" and the
ZAGREB, Feb 22 (Hina) - Another witness has refused to testify
before the Croatian Sabor's commission of inquiry investigating
the case involving a plan called "Fox".
Marjan Rozic, a former member of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party
(HSLS) and today one of the leaders of the Croatian Party of Rights
(HSP) on Monday made his testimony conditional upon the testimony
of the HSLS president Drazen Budisa, who had refused to testify
before the commission at a session held on February 8.
At the session, Budisa refused to testify claiming that the subject
and goal of the investigation had been changed and that the
commission, instead of investigating facts regarding the "Fox"
plan, was investigating another plan, called "Badger".
The HSLS party, which had initiated the establishment of the
commission, requested that the commission discover the authors of
the anonymous plan called "Fox" and their motives. The party
believes that the plan was devised by a group within the HSLS, with
the aim of its dissolution.
The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, on the other hand, uses
the same name ("Fox") for another plan, a strategy of winning
parliamentary majority, whose author is a former HSLS vice
president, Goran Granic. The HDZ believes that the MPs - members of
the Opposition Six - who resigned from their posts as MPs at the end
of last year - were acting very much in line with the strategy
presented in the plan.
The HSLS did not deny that the plan existed, but it claims that it is
called "Badger" and that it had never been adopted as the party's
strategy.
This is the reason why HSLS president Budisa refused to testify and
why three Opposition MPs (from HSLS, Croatian Peasants' Party - HSS
and Social Democratic Party - SDP) resigned from the commission of
inquiry on February 8.
Rozic on Monday said that the second condition for his testimony was
for those three Opposition MPs to participate in the work of the
commission.
He also said he refused to participate in Budisa's election
campaign.
"Budisa and the HSLS want to convince the public that all of us who
left the HSLS four years ago, disappointed with inter-party anti-
democracy and leftist policy, are some kind of conspirators", Rozic
said.
The commission's chairman Vladimir Seks judged that Rozic's
arguments were unfounded and that his reasons were in opposition to
the law on commissions of inquiry.
Seks announced that at one of its next sessions the commission would
adopt a conclusion on Budisa's and Rozic's refusal to testify and,
if necessary, notify the State Attorney in case of possible further
proceedings.
(hina) jn rml