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THOUSANDS OF CROATIANS gathered for prayers and held candlelight vigils throughout the country on Thursday for two former wartime generals ahead of their appeal verdict by the UN Yugoslav war crimes court.
In Zagreb, hundreds of war veterans, many in uniforms, gathered at the Mirogoj cemetery to pray for former generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac, considered by many as heroes of Croatia’s war of independence in the 1990s breakup of Yugoslavia.
In April 2011, Gotovina and Markac were sentenced to 24 and 18 years respectively for war crimes committed against ethnic Serbs during the August 1995 military offensive in which Croatia recovered a key area held by rebel Serbs.
The ruling shocked Croatia and following the two ex-generals’ appeal, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) based in The Hague will on Friday announce its final verdict in the case.
“We want to show our support for our generals and we are waiting with them for the verdict,” Josip Klemm of a veteran group that organised the vigil told AFP.
Croatian people see them as “heroes”
“Croatian people see these generals as heroes… we are living witnesses. They defended the country, that’s why we want to be with them,” said Klemm.
At the cemetery, a priest led veterans in prayers in front of a big black marble wall-shaped monument for the victims of the 1991-1995 war.
Many also lit candles and laid flowers for the victims, whose names were engraved on the monument.
The veterans, who were carrying the national and their units’ flags, later marched from the cemetery to the city cathedral where they were joined by other Croatians, many holding candles and greeting them with loud applause.
Prayers were also held in many churches throughout the country, with the country’s Catholic Church calling on believers to unite in prayers for the pair.
“Croatian bishops call the faithful for unity and prayers that the final verdict will be fair,” bishop Mate Uzinic said.
Croatia’s veterans’ groups said they would also organise a rally on Friday at Zagreb’s central square where the court hearing will be broadcast live on a giant screen.
They said they expected some 100,000 people to gather to await the final verdict. Organisers said similar rallies were to be held in other towns in Croatia.
After Gotovina and Markac were first sentenced last year, thousands of people protested, condemning the verdict and blaming the pro-EU leadership for failing to protect the generals.
‘Unconditional support’
The two generals, notably 57-year old Gotovina, are still considered by many as heroes of Croatia’s 1991-1995 war that erupted after Zagreb proclaimed independence and rebel Serbs, backed by Serbia, took up arms opposing the move.
“They represent our war for homeland,” said veteran Miljenko Kolobaric, dressed in his uniform.
The national football team’s coach Igor Stimac has also put the photo of the two generals on his Facebook page, calling for “unconditional support for our generals”.
“I call you to unite in prayers and then go out to show that we have not forgotten them. They are there because they defended us and we must never forget that,” wrote Stimac.
Gotovina, indicted in 2001, spent four years in hiding before being captured in Spain’s Canary Islands.
His four-year flight seriously hampered Croatia’s bid to join the European Union. Zagreb, now set to join the bloc in July 2013, eventually opened EU membership talks two months before his arrest.
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Well done! I hope this money will be useful!
At last – a public official with HONOUR!!! Maybe he could do a Masterclass for the others (with no claimable expenses for the attendees!!)
Any chance he’d run for president? (or would it be cynical of me to have a little suspicion that might be why the article appeared???) I don’t care, I’d vote for him ;o)
He’s been asked about that before, actually, and ruled it out. :)
That is a shame Gavin. We could use someone with this kind of integrity.
Very noble, nice to see there’s at least one politician that’s not in it for the money
I’ve seen and heard this man on several occasions. He is a formidable and highly intelligent individual, the type of person Ireland needs now more than ever. No bluster or bullshit, just gets on with the job in hand. For the likes of Bertie & Cowen, a few hours in Mr Crown’s company would be an illuminating experience.
Fair play to you sir. A lot of (failed/wannabe) career politicians in the seanad could learn from your example. (Also great work in St Lukes – i’ll always be grateful to the fantastic people who work there.)
I’m a cancer researcher myself and from experience I can safely say this kind of money will go along way towards the lucky recipients
Fair play to him.It goes to show how much our TDs ect are on.Share the pain our goverment tells us.Its very easy to share the pain when your on 65000 euro and more.
Fair play to you sir! Now THAT’s the kind of patriotism this country needs from it’s politicians.
‘I make good money from my medical practice, I’m on a public salary… I made a decision at the time I was running for teh Seanad that it would not be appropriate for me to accept two public wages…’ Nothing to say after all these scrounger bonus-hunter greedy CEOs.
John Crown was, to his eternal credit, one of the most incisive and able critics of Harney’s health policies. He consistently came across as a committed patient advocate. His decision regarding his salary is commendable. No doubt the many ministers who retired before the last election are lining up to follow his example and do likewise with their generous lump sums. It is the least they could do having brought to country beyond the point of ruin.
A very noble gesture from a very noble man.
I have the pleasure to work with the Prof. (on the sidelines so to speak) and can vouch for his dedication to his patients which has not wavered since becoming a senator, if there were more like him in government, we’d be ‘laughing’. I put it out there, John Crown for president.
A gentleman in the best sense of the word. This is what this country needs to see from its leaders at this time: self-sacrifice, realism and fresh thinking combined – the very things that we the people are being asked for day-in, day-out, but never seem to see in the wealthy and powerful. Bravo.
Fair play to him… I suppose, considering he still earns 230,000 from the state plus his private practise, it would be shockingly financially greedy for him to take the 65K. However, now that he is working seannad hours for free, it must be said that he, and his family, are generous with their personal time, and that can be worth gold in itself.
Well done to him. I wish we had more of his caliber and decency.
I know he’s better off than most members of the Seanad but fair play to him all the same. Credit where credit is due. Fergal Quinn take note.
Pity Senator Crown is not going forward for president, he would make an ideal , candidate, he is articulate,
and has a clear no nonsense approach about politics and why thecountry is in the state its in now
I wonder how many of those who will be co gratulating Prof Crown for this can usually be found jumping on the "consultants are lazy money-grabbing bastards" bandwagon.
Oh and please don’t ask for a presidential run – he’s much more use to the country on an oncology ward.
The thing is he’s the exception rather than the rule in both the Seanad and as a consultant. He’s hard working and committed, unlike the f**ker of a consultant who my father turned up to see at an appointment one Friday afternoon (having travelled two hours to go see) only to be told the consultant had decided to leave early to go away for the weekend.
Ah yes, we should assume that your one interaction with one consultant once is the rule for how most consultants behave most of the time.
I’ve seen and heard this man on several occasions. He is a formidable and highly intelligent individual – the type of person Ireland needs now more than ever. No bluster or bullshit, just gets on with the job in hand. For the likes of Bertie & Cowen, a few hours in Mr Crown’s company would be an illuminating experience.
I will now for once ” Bow to the CROWN" and be proud to do so. !!
i think its amazing the effect a decent honest and honourable politician can have & judging by the other comments here so do many others. Imagine if we had a political situation where this was the norm ( a pipe dream i think ) .
However more importantly why we we resign to this being the case? ?
Am I the only one who thought, on reading this article, that it just goes to show that being a consultant obviously isn’t a full time job either, if he manages to fit it in around being a full time politician!
Also, how can he claim expenses and spend it on something else (even if it is something that’s needed), shouldn’t politicians, or any public sector worker, only be able to claim for money they have actually spent by producing receipts. I don’t know much about politics, but it seems wrong to me that one politician can decide where money we’re giving them goes – if he doesn’t need it, shouldn’t it go back into the government purse to be spent as out elected representatives see fit? I know on the face of it it all sounds very nobel, but is it not just an example of what’s wrong with this country?
I congratulate professor crown re passing on his seanad salary. It should be appreciated that he is making time to carry out this employment when he could be having quality family.
Yes indeed, even someone with the brass neck of Prof Crown couldn’t really accept three salaries – his public salary, his private practice salary and a senators salary.
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