ZAGREB, June 9 (Hina) - Party leaders, union members and civil activists, who recently became targets of politically-motivated verbal and physical abuse, have decided to organise a committee against public violence. The committee will
use its political and moral authority to prevent violence from spreading in Croatia's public life, it was said at a meeting of the Association of Workers' Unions of Croatia (URSH), held in Zagreb on Wednesday under the motto "Thugs Wont's Pass". The committee will call on the Government, Sabor and the President of the Republic to take all necessary steps in helping competent state bodies in discovering perpetrators. The committee will also demand an answer from Interior Minister Ivan Penic on the measures police have taken so far in discovering perpetrators. The establishment of the committee was proposed by Nenad Klapcic, secretary of the Istrian Democratic Assembl
ZAGREB, June 9 (Hina) - Party leaders, union members and civil
activists, who recently became targets of politically-motivated
verbal and physical abuse, have decided to organise a committee
against public violence.
The committee will use its political and moral authority to prevent
violence from spreading in Croatia's public life, it was said at a
meeting of the Association of Workers' Unions of Croatia (URSH),
held in Zagreb on Wednesday under the motto "Thugs Wont's Pass".
The committee will call on the Government, Sabor and the President
of the Republic to take all necessary steps in helping competent
state bodies in discovering perpetrators. The committee will also
demand an answer from Interior Minister Ivan Penic on the measures
police have taken so far in discovering perpetrators.
The establishment of the committee was proposed by Nenad Klapcic,
secretary of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) parliamentary
bench. The proposal was supported by URSH president Boris Kunst,
and representatives of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS),
Croatian People's Party (HNS), Liberal Party (LS), Action of Social
Democrats of Croatia (ASH), Socialist Labour Party (SRP), National
Democratic Party (NDS) and the Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO).
The meeting was also attended by Marijan Juric, a representative of
the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), who, as other speakers,
condemned all cases of politically-motivated violence, however he
did not express his stand on possible participation in the
committee's activities.
Juric objected that the Opposition was blaming the HDZ for every
problem in Croatia.
However, other party representatives and the HHO claimed the
authorities were the first to blame for the increase of violence
because "it is the authorities who are generating hatred" and
failing to react to publicly issued threats.
SRP president Stipe Suvar, who was recently attacked and hit with a
pistol on his head in downtown Zagreb, said the authorities should
work on preventing political violence.
Police should secure gatherings in pre-election campaigning and
control groups which are prone to political violence, he added.
(hina) jn rml