SISAK, May 2 (Hina) - Retired Croatian General Janko Bobetko was buried on Friday at Sisak's central cemetery with the highest military honours and a religious service in the presence of his family, fellow fighters, residents of his
hometown of Crnac and some 25,000 people from around Croatia and abroad.
SISAK, May 2 (Hina) - Retired Croatian General Janko Bobetko was
buried on Friday at Sisak's central cemetery with the highest
military honours and a religious service in the presence of his
family, fellow fighters, residents of his hometown of Crnac and
some 25,000 people from around Croatia and abroad. #L#
Bobetko was bid goodbye by his neighbour and friend from Crnac, Ante
Zivkovic, and two of his closest and most loyal associates,
Generals Ivan Korade and Ivan Basarac. A prayer for the late general
was said by the military ordinary, Msgr. Juraj Jezerinac.
Zivkovic said that freedom and a free Croatia were the most
important goal and achievement for General Bobetko.
General Korade recalled the battles in which he fought alongside
Bobetko, defending the country. General Bobetko was a soldier, a
victorious army leader who leaves behind brilliant deeds and a
proud Croatia, Korade said.
General Basarac said that Croatia's generals and people would
continue striving towards the ideals for which Bobetko had lived.
Commenting on an indictment The Hague-based war crimes tribunal
issued against Bobetko, Basarac said that those who had fought for
Croatia's freedom had not been able to live in freedom over the past
few years.
"If there is no freedom for Gotovina, Norac, Ademi, there can be no
freedom for anyone in Croatia," Basarac said.
The funeral was also attended by President Stjepan Mesic's envoy
and head of his military cabinet, Kresimir Kaspar, Parliament
President Zlatko Tomcic's envoy Marijana Petir and Labour Minister
Davorko Vidovic, who attended the funeral privately.
Of party leaders, apart from the Croatian Democratic Union's Ivo
Sanader, also present were the Croatian Party of Rights' Anto
Djapic, the Croatian Christian Democratic Union's Anto Kovacevic,
the Croatian Bloc's Ivic Pasalic, the Croatian True Revival's
Miroslav Tudjman and the honorary president of the Croatian
Independent Democrats, Josip Manolic.
(hina) rml sb