REACTIONS TO VERDICT IN SAKIC TRIAL

ZAGREB, Oct 4 (Hina) - The director of the Jerusalem-based Simon Wiesenthal Centre, Efraim Zuroff, who was present on Monday at the Zagreb County Court during the pronouncement of the verdict in the trial of Dinko Sakic, a commander of the Jasenovac concentration camp, told reporters today was a good day for Croatia and that good people were happy today. The Zagreb County Court today found Sakic guilty of the war crime against the civilian population and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. The honorary chairman of the Jewish organisation B'nai B'rith, Tommy Baer, joined Zuroff saying today should be a day of pride for Croatia. The president of the Zagreb Jewish community, Ognjen Kraus, who testified in the pre-trial proceedings, believes the verdict is appropriate. The president of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), Anto Djapic, said "the trial of Sakic is a political process held under pressure from the international community. If there is not a statute of limitations for war crimes, when will we witness a trial for crimes committed in Bleiburg and crimes committed by the Chetniks against the Croats", Djapic asked. The director of the Belgrade Museum of the Victims of Genocide, Milan Bulajic, who had been following the trial from the beginning, said he was "satisfied with the verdict". "I had expected such a verdict and I believe the court has made the right decision", Bulajic said, adding however, "Sakic should have been indicted for genocide, not for the war crime against civilians". (hina) jn rml