The President of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, announced that Generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač will be part of the advisory body of the Council for Homeland Security
Representatives of Serbs in Croatia believe that such a decision can only have a bad effect on reconciliation and the life of the Serbian community in that country, reports B92.
Is there a new obstacle to the improvement of relations between Serbia and Croatia?
The President of Croatia states that the Homeland Security Council, which should be advised by Gotovina and Markač, will be important for changing the national security strategy and the future development of the Croatian armed forces.
"I wanted General Gotovina to be involved in the work of this important Homeland Security Council, we have been friends for many years. I am glad that he and General Markač agreed to participate and that they recognized the positive value of my intention and the tasks of that Council "There will be 10 to 15 of the most experienced Croatian generals, intelligence and other experts in the Council," said Grabar Kitarović.
On the other hand, the president of the Serbian National Council, Milorad Pupovac, believes that the announcement of the appointment of Gotovina and Markač as advisers is a sovereign decision of the Croatian president that does not contribute to building trust between the two states and two peoples. He emphasizes that it will be additional pressure for Serbs in Croatia.
"There is no doubt that this decision will cause additional misunderstandings, and probably more than misunderstandings in the relations between Croatia and Serbia and between Croats and Serbs. It undoubtedly falls into the context of the trials that are being conducted in The Hague, which are being conducted before domestic courts or which are not being conducted in general. There is no doubt that it would be much wiser if such decisions were not made and if more attention were paid to building trust. For Serbs in Croatia, it will be another additional aggravating circumstance for the exercise of their rights and their normal life in Croatia." Pupovac believes.
The president of the Coalition of Refugee Associations, Miodrag Linta, describes the Croatian president's announcement as "scandalous". Linta claims that Generals Gotovina and Markač were "part of a criminal organization led by Franjo Tuđman whose goal was to create an ethnically pure Croatian state" and calls on Kolinda Grabar Kitarović to withdraw the decision on their appointment as advisers.
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