SUSAK TAKES CICAK TO COURT FOR LIBEL, REJECTS APPOLOGY

ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - A trial in a libel case involving Croatian Helsinki Human Rights Committee president Ivan Zvonimir Cicak and Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak today began at the Zagreb Municipal Court. Susak has taken legal action against Cicak over his statement in an interview with the Rijeka-based Novi List daily in May. The interview was headlined "Defence Ministry Is Den of Organized Crime" and the subtitle included Cicak's statement: "In my opinion Gojko Susak bears the chief responsibility for what is going on at the Defence Ministry." The plaintiff Gojko Susak, who was represented by counsel, said this was a vicious libel and rejected Cicak's offer to appologize because it could not undo the damage. In a brief defence, Cicak appologized for a part of the interview in which he had said Susak bore the chief responsibility for the Defence Ministry. The plaintiff would be subpoenaed for the next hearing scheduled for December. (hina) jn vm 151902 MET nov 94