ZAGREB, July 23 (Hina) - With its attitude towards The Hague Tribunal and reactions of some media to a CNN feature on the trial of war crimes suspect Dinko Sakic, Croatia itself is closing "the barely open door to its integration into
European and world associations", members of the Civil Committee for Human Rights (GOLJP) told reporters Friday. The statement of ICTY Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour that she would report to the U.N. Security Council about Croatia's non-co-operation is proof that the authorities were 'lying' when they spoke about successful cooperation with the Tribunal, GOLJP members said. GOLJP's Tomislav Jakic said the authorities were 'deluding' the public by claiming that the Tribunal, by demanding documents on Operation Storm, was questioning the legitimacy of the operation and vilifying the Homeland War. "The Tribunal wants to investigate the founded suspicion about war c
ZAGREB, July 23 (Hina) - With its attitude towards The Hague
Tribunal and reactions of some media to a CNN feature on the trial of
war crimes suspect Dinko Sakic, Croatia itself is closing "the
barely open door to its integration into European and world
associations", members of the Civil Committee for Human Rights
(GOLJP) told reporters Friday.
The statement of ICTY Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour that she would
report to the U.N. Security Council about Croatia's non-co-
operation is proof that the authorities were 'lying' when they
spoke about successful cooperation with the Tribunal, GOLJP
members said.
GOLJP's Tomislav Jakic said the authorities were 'deluding' the
public by claiming that the Tribunal, by demanding documents on
Operation Storm, was questioning the legitimacy of the operation
and vilifying the Homeland War. "The Tribunal wants to investigate
the founded suspicion about war crimes committed during the action,
and not question its legitimacy", said Jakic.
Dismissing the "lies" in a recent Croatian Television (HTV)
broadcast, 'U krupnom planu', dedicated to the CNN feature on
Sakic's trial, GOLJP president Zoran Pusic said the HTV programme
and some other reactions by the state-controlled media showed that
official authorities were neither strong enough nor willing to face
a part of their past. "The HTV show used lies to respond to the
generally known and historically indisputable facts presented in
the CNN programme", said Jakic.
"It is not true that I accused the Croat people of the Ustashi
ideology and that I hate everything that is Croatian or that I make
statements only when Croatia is to be vilified", said attorney Cedo
Prodanovic, who is representing the family of one of the victims in
the Sakic trial.
Jakic also said the authorities were demonstrating an amazing
amount of tolerance for those who express ideas close to the Ustashi
ideology. "The Ustashi ideology and the NDH (Independent State of
Croatia, 1941-1945) are renounced when it comes to external use,
whereas in the country itself attempts are being made to relativise
Ustashi crimes and exterminate anti-fascism", said Jakic.
(hina) rml