ZAGREB, Sept 15 (Hina) - Commenting on developments connected with the recent arrests of war crimes suspects, Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on Friday said that institutions of the Republic of Croatia should be allowed to establish
the guilt or innocence of the apprehended persons.
ZAGREB, Sept 15 (Hina) - Commenting on developments connected with
the recent arrests of war crimes suspects, Croatia's President
Stjepan Mesic on Friday said that institutions of the Republic of
Croatia should be allowed to establish the guilt or innocence of the
apprehended persons.#L#
"I do not expect unrest, since the institutions of the
Croatian state are functioning," President Mesic said.
"Regardless of the fact that some may expect it, Croatia will not
plunge again into isolation and will not let anybody rob their own
people. Those who have enjoyed privileges to which they had no
right, will have to be denied those privileges in the future and
nobody should delude themselves," President Mesic emphasised.
I agree that people can protest, but threats with arms are not
permissible. They can protest but they cannot issue ultimatums to
Presidents of the Republic, Government or Parliament, Mesic said
adding there were institutions which can help solve problems in a
tolerant manner.
"If we have won the struggle for the state then we have also secured
that its institutions can work autonomously within their
constitutional and legal authority. This is what we wanted and
nobody has the right to interfere in the work of police," he added.
If somebody thinks that they could change the balance of power in
the country through manipulations, they are very wrong, the
President said.
Self-proclaimed heads cannot set up some kind of headquarters which
speaks in somebody's name, Mesic said and wondered who had elected
those 'self-proclaimed'. The President was hinting at the
headquarters for the protection of the dignity of the Homeland War,
established by some war veterans' associations.
I believe that some are under a misapprehension, some are
manipulating people, but Croatia cannot consent to any ultimatum
and we shall be rigorous in the matter, he emphasised.
Mesic denied objections that in their statements he and Premier
Ivica Racan prejudged the guilt of the arrested persons, adding
that nobody had prejudged anyone's guilt.
"A person will be regarded as guilty only if the final judgement
establishes so, and for the time being those are only suspects or
some who possibly know more than others and can be witnesses in
certain processes, he explained.
It cannot be said that nothing is known about what happened with
Levar, what happened in Gospic. It cannot be said that nobody should
be held responsible for the slaughter in Ahmici where over 100
people were killed. Those processes must be completed, and those
who are staging protests want to say that nobody is guilty, Mesic
said.
(hina) jn ms