Zvonimir Separovic – Croatia, the War, and the Future

Croatia: Known High Love Or Alleged High Treason In Next President?

January 7, 2015 by inavukic 13 Comments

Croatian Presidential Candidates
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic
and
Ivo Josipovic

It was in May 2014 when I wrote about the proposal and plans to establish in Croatia a National Ethics Tribunal (HNES): “A group of citizens of Croatia has decided to establish the Croatian National Ethics Tribunal, which will not have behind it the force of the police or the State court system. It will, though, have the force of ethical arguments and public “finger pointing” at those who have inflicted damage upon Croatian interests and who have worked against Croatian independence and have betrayed Croatia in relation to its fight against Serb aggression…»

Indeed, this Ethics Tribunal (comprised of highly eminent and distinguished academics, politicians, scientists, journalists, other professionals and business personalities) has come off the ground running and is already making notable inroads into the Croatian national conscience that can only lead to a fairer, a just, a more democratic and a social and political conscience, which in bulk, has the look of something that will positively influence political morality every hard-won independence and democracy deserves, not just Croatia. This appears to take the place of a mind-process that is essential in a country transitioning from a communist totalitarian regime whose destructive and oppressive paws seem still after 24 years ingrained in an overwhelming number societal veins and capillaries; a condition conducive to all sorts of corruption and human suffering be it emotional or economic.

Croatia, almost everyone says, but all see, is at this moment at sociopolitical crossroads! It must make and bring about political and governance changes in order to finally pay its dues to the victims of Homeland War who suffered so much to achieve independence and democracy. It must shed the destructive remnants of communism and political protectionism if it’s to survive its harsh road to full democracy that’s yet to be achieved.

Presidential Elections in Croatia are to have their final mark on Sunday, 11 January, when the second round of voting occurs for either Ivo Josipovic or Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic to win. Results so far have signaled a strong will for change in Croatia as the incumbent Josipovic barely took a lead of less than 1% of votes given.

What this important new Ethics Tribunal thinks of Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Ivo Josipovic can be seen in a letter sent to Grabar-Kitarovic on 3rd January 2015 by the Ethics Tribunal, copy of which was sent to this Blog as part of the media milieu devoted to Croatia, its War and its Future and I’m grateful for having received it. I have, therefore, translated that letter into English and bring it to you herein.

“Our dear future President of the Republic of Croatia,
Thank you for your warmth, your beauty and for the hope you have bestowed in these days of profound crisis upon the tortured Croatian nation. You are the best that could have happened to us! We are convinced that you will succeed in your path to the top of our Republic of Croatia. Croatia needs you!

We write to you to support you, to inform you about what we have done in the pusuit of protecting the highest of national values of Our Lovely (Croatia). We founded the Croatian National Ethical Tribunal (HNES) in June of last year. On 20th September, in the Croatian martyr city of Vukovar, we had accused Ivo Josipovic (current President of Croatia), Stjepan Mesic (former President of Croatia), Vesna Pusic (current foreign minister of Croatia) and Milorad Pupovac (president of Serb National Council in Croatia) of high treason. On the 10th of December 2013 the first gathering in Zagreb of the HNES tribunal delivered its ethical judgment against Ivo Josipovic, the president of Croatia and commander in chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, for high treason pertaining to national interests. We are forwarding to you the decision of ethical judgment for high treason in ten points contained in a book titled CROATIAN HIGH TREASONS.

The tribunal has confirmed the existence of factual foundations for the ethical judgments against Ivo Josipovic, especially in the following:

• For systematically, over a number of years, falsifying historical truths by turning the Serbian-Montenegrian aggression against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina into a so-called civil war,
• For systematically and persistently changing the content working on a withdrawal of Croatia’s lawsuit against Serbia for genocide and aggression against Croatia at the International Court of Justice in the Hague,
• For having surrounded himself in the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia with persons such as Dejan Jovic, Budimir Loncar and some others, who had systematically opposed the Croatian state independence,
• For having in his public appearances at home and abroad (in the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Knessett of Israel and elsewhere) stigmatised and muddied the Croatian state with statements that Croatia had executed aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, that Croatia is an Ustashe country,
• For having systematically promoted the communist totalitarian ideology and communist “antifascism” despite the Declaration by the Croatian Parliament which condemned the crimes committed during the totalitarian communist regime 1945 to 1990,
• For having applied to the Constitutional court for an enactment of a law that would see indictments and trials against Croatian Homeland War veterans conducted in accordance with the criteria used in the criminal Yugoslavia, Serbia and Yugoslav People’s Army,
• For having advocated for an acceptance of the Law on Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters with the EU Member States (the so-called Lex Perkovic),
• For failing to protest against the statement made by the Chetnik duke Tomislav Nikolic that Vukovar is a Serb city and that Serbia’s border is at the Virovitica-Karlovac-Karlobag line,
• For having led pro-Serbian politics and self-willingly took Great Britain, which had always favoured Yugoslavia and Serbia against Croatia, as a strategic partner.

The ethical judgment against Ivo Josipovic was signed by the members of the First Tribunal Committee: Dr. Zvonimir Separovic, as the committee’s president and members: Academic Josip Pečaric, dr.Josip Jurcevic, dr Zdravko Tomac, dr. Nikola Debelic, prof. Nevenka Nekic, attorneys: Zvonimir Hodak i dr. at law Zeljko Olujic i Secretary Zdravko Vladanovic.

The founders and HNES members also include: Academic Slobodan Novak, dr. Andrija Hebrang, brigadier general Tomo Medved, members of the Committee for the Defence of Croatian Vukovar Tomislav Josic and Vlado Iljkic, distinguished Croats from abroad istaknuti Marko Franovic, Sydney, dr Ivan Hrvojic, Toronto, Ante Glibota, Paris, Mijo Maric, Berlin, fra Simun Sito Coric, Bern, artists: Josip Botteri Dini, Miljenko Romic, Đuro Vidmarovic, Petar Vulic, Eva Kirchmayer Bilic, Bozidar Alic and Ante Nadomir Tadic, Knin, representatives of organisations: Rozalija Bartolic, widows of Homeland War, Negzana Pavicic, a Skabrnje massacre survivor,Zvonimir Zoric, a Bleiburg massacre survivor, Mario Fillipi, full invalid of the Homeland War and Ante Beljo, Croatian victimology society, scientists: dr. Josip Faricic, from Zadar, Ivan Kozlica, dr. Mario Sosic, from Pula and dr Ante Milinovic, publicists: Mato Kovacevic and Josko Celan.
After being informed of the ethics tribunal’s judgment Ivo Josipovic stated: “They are sick people, madmen”. Abhorred, the local media published that primitive, dangerous and threatening statement.
We take the freedom to suggest to you that you may use these ethical judgments in your public appearances and duels.
May the Almighty God and the Holy Sprit with all the Angels be with you!
Long live our first lady President of the Republic of Croatia!
In Zagreb, 3rd January 2015.
(Signed:)
Zvonimir Separovic Josip Pecaric Josip Jurcevic Zdravko Tomac, Nikola Debelic Nevenka Nekic Zeljko Olujic Zvonimir Hodak, Đuro Vidmarovic Ivan Kozlica Bozidar Alic Ante Beljo, Mario Filippi Zdravko Vladanovic”

In its Press Release dated 4 January 2015 (click to see in Croatian in PDF here), under Point 2 the Croatian National Ethics Tribunal reports that it is pursuing reporting Ivo Josipovic to authorities on allegations of high treason: “Prompted by a number of inquiries, proposals and requests from the Croatian public, the Croatian National Ethics Tribunal invites the State Attorneys office to act in accordance with the provisions of Article 204, clause 1 and Article 205, clause 5, of the Criminal Proceedings Act (“Gov. gazette/NN”, No. 152/08, 76/09, 80/11, 91/12, 143/12, 56/13 and 145/13), seeking official consideration of the accessible information from the Fact-finding sheet in the Decision of the Croatian National Ethics Tribunal dated 10th December 2014, which suggests founded suspicions that Ivo Josipovic has, during the time in office as President of the Republic of Croatia and commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, committed a criminal act of high treason, which is described and punishable in accordance with Articles 340 and 350, connected to Article 351 and Article 13, clause 1, of the Criminal Act of Republic of Croatia («Gov. Gazzette/NN» 125/11, 144/12.“

Adding this latest content to the presidential candidates’ spreadsheets of qualifications, allegations, programs, past professional results, political comittment to democracy…the best choice for next president of Croatia appears so very clear: Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic!

Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb), B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Croatia, Croatian National Ethics Tribunal, Croatian presidential elections 2015, high treason, Ivo Josipovic, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Zvonimir Separovic

Croatia: Tears And Prayers As Bosnian Croat Dario Kordic Arrives Home From ICTY Prison

June 7, 2014 by inavukic 51 Comments

Welcome home Dario Kordic flag
6 June 2014
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Former vice president and a member of the Presidency of the Croatian Community of Herceg-Bosna, and later Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna, and at one time the president of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZBiH), Dario Kordic, landed at Zagreb, Croatia, airport after serving 16.6 years of the 25-year prison sentence imposed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for 1993 war crimes committed in Central Bosnia, Lasva Valley, against Muslim civilians.

Several hundred people gathered at the airport to welcome back home from prison the man they consider a hero, not a war criminal. Kordic’s ICTY sentence was not the one of a war criminal who committed crimes but that of a politician who was at the time of those crimes in a high position of Herceg-Bosna political leadership and responsibilities. Indeed, among the welcoming crowds were many most esteemed historians, public personalities who work tirelessly at justice for victims as well as some highly positioned political officials at the time of the 1990’s war. These include: dr Zvonimir Separovic, dr Slobodan Lang, dr Josip Pecaric, dr Zdravko Tomac, dr Ivic Pasalic, dr Ante Kovacevic, dr Josip Jurcevic – Bishop Vlado Kosic from Sisak was there to lead a prayer.

After tearfully embracing his wife and children, Kordic turned to the masses at the Zagreb airport with an emotional speech in which he thanked God, the Catholic faith and the whole of the Croatian nation.

Kordic is one member of the group of Bosnian Croats from central Bosnia, who voluntarily surrendered to the ICTY in The Hague in 1997 after U.S. authorities and the World Bank put Croatia’s Franjo Tudjman and his government under mounting economic pressure to have Kordic and other Bosnian Croats arrested. Kordic said that he gladly welcomed the opportunity to clear his name.

Kordic was sentenced for war crimes committed in Ahmici against Bosnian Muslims, for the perpetration of which he actually is not responsible. And, it’s necessary to point out here that on the same day the Ahmici crimes occurred, crimes perpetrated by the Muslims/ BH Army against Croats occurred in the village of Trusine where the entire Croatian village population was murdered and no one to this day has been made accountable for this, just as no one has been made accountable for similar war crimes in Doljani, Grabovica, Uzdol, Jurici, Bugojno … where, even today, the Croats are constantly threatened with death.

After the war ended in 1995 and the signing of the Dayton Agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina the failed Bosniak scenario to create an ethnically pure Muslim/Bosniak region within Bosnia and Herzegovina moved into the corridors of the ICTY. Bosnian Croats Dario Kordic and Tihomir Blaskic found themselves in the Hague where the prosecution’s politically charged and unfounded plan was to show that Croatia’s president Franjo Tudjman started ethnic cleansing against Muslims in Lasva Valley in order to create a Greater Croatia. Dario Kordic’s case was allocated to the British prosecutor Geoffrey Nice and the judge was Judge Richard May, also British; the witnesses for the prosecution were officers of a British battalion, whose testimonies omitted to address all BH Army (Muslim) offensive operations, all their crimes against Croats, and especially all the horrific crimes of the Mujahedeen units of the BH Army.

Looking down upon history we find that the British forces were instrumental in turning the hundreds of thousands of Croat refugees in May of 1945, in Bleiburg, Austria, back to communist Yugoslavia, knowing they would be massacred. The fact that these people sought the promised refuge/asylum in the West at the time made no difference. And in the ICTY case against Kordic the British again play an important role! One wonders why Britain, post- New York “9/11” terrorist attack, joins the war against terror when at about the same time the Kordic case was at the Hague, here in the corridors of ICTY members of it’s judicial echelons saw to the protection of Bosnian Muslims and their Mujahedeen terrorist units.

“In Broad Daylight” – documentary on Muslim/Bosniak crimes against Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina (partially in English):

One cannot change the ICTY’s judgment against Dario Kordic. He had pleaded innocent to the charges of war crimes and lost. He has served his time in prison and paid the dues to society imposed upon him by the court even if those dues are seen as having been based on highly questionable foundations. But one can change one thing in relation to Dario Kordic’s war crimes conviction: one can lobby the government corridors and insist on investigations into the ICTY judgment in order to demonstrate upon which falsification and political maneuvering it did arise! This is particularly important given that the “Herceg-Bosna 6 Croats” (Jadranko Prlic, Milivoj Petkovic, Bruno Stojic, Slobodan Praljak, Berislav Pusic, Valentin Coric) convicted in 2013 by the ICTY Trial Chamber for similar crimes and similar political constructs in 2013 still await Appeal.

One truth is among us: Dario Kordic has returned home on conditional release from prison for war crimes after serving two-thirds of his prison sentence. The other truth is yet to arrive: What political games saw him behind bars while the Bosnian Muslims/Bosniaks involved in a similar role as Kordic – political responsibility – are walking the streets freely!

In the meantime here are some photographs from Dario Kordic’s arrival at Zagreb airport, Croatia, on Friday 6 June 2014 from which place he will soon head to his hometown of Busovaca, Central Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Please click on photos to enlarge). Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

Waiting for Dario Kordic at Zagreb Airport
6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic kneels to Croatian ground
Zagreb 6 June 2014
(Photo: PIXSELL)

Dario Kordic kisses Croatian ground
6 June 2014
(Photo: PIXSELL)

Dario Kordic reunited with family
Tears of joy overwhelm
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic arrives in Zagreb 6 June 2014
First came tears of joy and a prayer followed
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dr Slobodan Lang at Zagreb Airport
6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic in Zagreb 6 June 2014
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic welcomed in Zagreb
6 June 2014
(Photo: Ranko Suvar/CROPIX)

Dario Kordic with dr Josip Pecaric,
dr Zvonimir Separovic and Bishop Vlado Kosic
Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic kisses Bishop Vlado Kosic’s hand
Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014
(Photo: Ranko Suvar/CROPIX)

A T-shirt worn by a well-wisher at
Dario Kordic’s arrival in Zagreb
6 June 2014, writing on T-shirt
“Often, Judas judge the righteous”
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Ahmici, Ante Kovacevic, Bishop Vlado Kosic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Army, Croatia, Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosna, Dario Kordic, ICTY, International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia, Ivic Pasalic, Jadranko Prlic, Josip Jurcevic, Josip Pecaric, Lasva Valley, Mujahedeen, Slobodan Lang, Slobodan Praljak, Tihomir Blaskic, war crimes, Zdravko Tomac, Zvonimir Separovic

Croatian National Ethics Tribunal In The Making

May 3, 2014 by inavukic 48 Comments

dr. Zvonimir Separovic

In this era we live in, it has become more and more unsettling in a democracy to watch politicians in government or power turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to the plights of their constituents (citizens) to protect and improve the interests of the people, the nation. Cries of helplessness ring at every corner, in every crevice of the developed as well as of the undeveloped nations. The ethics in activities of those in power that affect the citizens’ and the nation’s very lives and livelihood have become to resemble a kind of a “fly-by-night” phenomenon and, yet, they are crucial to the preservation or destruction, if unchecked, of humanity and prosperity.

It goes without saying that the government and society can no longer promote and enforce ethical behaviour solely through the utilisation of ethical codes of conduct or through the promulgation of a plethora of legislation. Something new is required – a measure that will at least serve as a deterrent for unethical behaviour which imposes irreparable or profound damage to national interests.

A group of citizens of Croatia has decided to establish the Croatian National Ethics Tribunal, which will not have behind it the force of the police or the State court system. It will, though, have the force of ethical arguments and public “finger pointing” at those who have inflicted damage upon Croatian interests and who have worked against Croatian independence and have betrayed Croatia in relation to its fight against Serb aggression.

As dr. Zvonimir Separovic, recently said at the launch of his book “The Croatian Claim” (Hrvatska Tužba) – pertaining to Croatian lawsuit against Serbia for genocide that was recently heard at the ICJ in The Hague – “Pantovcak (The Office of the President of Croatia) is a larger Serbian branch than the Embassy of Serbia in Zagreb, itself!” This statement needs no explanation, no corroboration – for it is the political truth that is bringing multitudes to their knees.

And so we are at the dawn of a new era in Croatia. A new era that will see a public Tribunal (Croatian National Ethics Tribunal) pave the way of standing firmly and loudly against the betrayers of Croatian national interests.

Proposal for the establishment of the Croatian National Ethics Tribunal

POSTULATES:

Croatia is in a deep political, moral and general crisis. The group of politicians in government does not manage the country with Croatian national interests at the helm. Betrayal of national interests is at work. It is time to establish a national ethical court that would bring judgments against individuals for betrayal of the country (treason).

We can find examples in Ancient Rome where individual citizens could raise a national claim (Actio popularis) against those who had acted contrary to public interests. In the last century we come across the Russell, and later the Sartre’s international tribunal that brought judgments against the U.S.A. for the war in Vietnam and later against Israel for the discrimination against the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. At the instigation of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela formed Commissions for Truth and Reconciliation at which informal judgments were delivered in South Africa – this was a form of lustration and a small number of individuals did consequently end up in official courts.

Different to the examples above, the Croatian case would mount a national ethics tribunal that would judge upon the responsibility for public actions when it’s assessed that the same constitute a betrayal of national interests.

National interest is defined as the aim a State has in the areas of economy, military or culture, but it can apply to wider areas as every interest that is of vital importance for the survival and prosperity of the people and the State.

Members of the Tribunal would be prominent individuals of moral integrity, professionalism and reputation, prominent personalities from public life. Judgments would be based on known ethical principles. The judgment is only moral in nature. Judgments would only be made in cases of severe breaches of ethical principles in public activities.

THE FIRST PREPARATORY MEETING

The Preparatory meeting with view to founding the Tribunal was held on 24 April 2014 and initiated by the Croatian Victimology Society. Those present included Prof. dr. Andrija Hebrang, Zeljko Olujic – prominent lawyer, dr. Nikola Debelic, prof.dr. Danko Milosevic, dr.Srecko Sladoljev, prof. Nevenka Nekic. Ante Beljo, Miljenko Romic – academic artist, Zdravko Vladanovic – lawyer, Rozalija Bartolic – the Association of Homeland Widows, Negzana Pavicic from Skabrnje, dr.med. Aleksandar Soltysik, and the meeting was chaired by dr. Zvonimir Separovic – the President of the Croatian Victimology Society. Apologies with support for the Tribunal were recorded from prof. dr. Zeljko Horvatic, Marko Franovic – Sydney, Australija, Ante Glibota – Paris, France , prof. dr. Josip Faricic – Zadar, prof. dr. Hrvoje Mazija, Zvonimir Hodak – lawyer, prof. dr. Branimir Luksic – Split, Vlado Iljkic – Headquarters for the Defence of Croatian Vukovar, Croatian Army general Tomo Medved, academic Slobodan Novak, prof. Josip Jurcevic – historian and politician, Mate Kovacevic – publicist.

The meeting accepted and delivered the following conclusions:

1. The establishment of the Croatian National Ethics Tribunal (HNES) is justified, current and socially beneficial;
2. The Tribunal in its activities is independent of the State and Political parties, objective, legitimate and it does not deliver executive decisions;
3. Research for the Tribunal’s use is undertaken by committees or by individuals appointed by the Tribunal;
4. The Tribunal proceedings are open to the public, Tribunal’s decisions are published to the public;
5. The person who is the subject of an investigation or a claim will be notified about the sitting of the Tribunal at which the hearing will take place, and they have the right of presence at the hearing;
6. The Tribunal’s Founding Assembly to be held by the end of May 2014 and other potential members of the Tribunal shall be invited to it;
7. The Organising Committee – Zvonimir Separović, Zeljko Olujic and Zdravko Vladanovic will prepare the draft of the Program Declaration and other essential documents for the Founding Assembly. ( Source of details regarding the founding process of the Tribunal: Dr. Zvonimir Separovic)
Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)