Posted on 03/19/2005 10:40:27 AM PST by Lukasz
ZAGREB (Reuters) - A wave of resentment against the European Union is sweeping Croatia and popular support for a top war crimes fugitive, whose freedom cost Zagreb the start of EU membership talks this week, is evident everywhere.
The 25-nation bloc postponed accession negotiations with Croatia on Wednesday, saying Zagreb had not done enough to find General Ante Gotovina, indicted by the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague for the murder of Serb civilians in 1995.
Giant posters of Gotovina -- until recently found only in his native central Adriatic region of Zadar -- have sprung up in dozens of places across the former Yugoslav republic this week.
Police could not say how many Gotovina posters it had torn down in the last two days. Four men were briefly arrested for putting up posters at Zagreb's main square on Thursday.
"The government is not protecting national interests but has launched an unacceptable campaign against Gotovina," charged Anto Djapic, leader of the rightwing Party of Rights.
A survey in Friday's Jutarnji List daily showed 56 percent of Croats opposed Gotovina's handover "whatever the cost". Only 28 percent thought he should be sent to the Hague tribunal.
But if Croats are angry at the EU decision, said EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, "that means the population of Croatia is not ready to start negotiations with the EU ...
"Because cooperation with ICTY (the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia) is a must. I think I cannot be more clear than that," told a news conference in Luxembourg.
ON THE RUN
Gotovina's brother Boro -- who has hinted at having contact with the fugitive -- said police should leave his family alone.
"No one will be able to sleep soundly while someone else's children are crying out for their father," he told Vecernji List daily.
Conservative Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, backed by most opposition parties, remains optimistic the talks could start soon, saying his cabinet will prove it is genuinely looking for Gotovina, but cannot find him.
He plans a new diplomatic offensive in Brussels next week though EU diplomats say he would be better to invest more time and energy in tracking down Gotovina, on the run since the tribunal indicted him in 2001.
They say Croatia never mounted a proper police hunt, but acknowledge it has intensified efforts in the last few weeks.
The tribunal says Gotovina, as commander, was responsible for the murders of 150 Serbs allegedly committed by his troops after Croat forces overran the rebel-held Krajina in a four-day offensive in August 1995.
A Croatian court on Friday ordered an investigation of five former military policemen for the alleged torture of Serb war prisoners in 1992.
As to Gotovnia, he can remain free so long as Croatia is willing to pay the economic price of protecting him, rather than living up to it's agreements and obligations.
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