British deception proven

…It all started on 10 June 2003 when Nacional ran an interview with the runaway General Gotovina. That I had met with him was a fact known not even by his attorneys Luka Misetic and Marin Ivanovic, as I worked out the details in the greatest discretion with attorney Marijan Pedisic, a friend of mine, who passed away just over a year ago. We met with Gotovina in a hotel in Venice…

Both Mesic and chief Hague prosecutor Carla Del Ponte were informed of the messages and the interview before it was published. Del Ponte sent her top crew, headed by Patrick Lopez Tereza, to Pantovcak to see what could be done about it. Mesic charged his chief of staff Zeljko Bagic to speak with them, who he informed of what Gotovina had said…

And when I was already convinced that the crisis would end favourably for all and that Gotovina would finally come home, the blows came, above all from the press, but from all quarters. They led to a break off of the talks, and a loss of mutual trust, with serious consequences for Croatia, which as a result of the sabotage of those talks did not accede to the Union three years ago.

The responsible parties are known today. Some media houses, Jutarnji list and Globus foremost among them, followed by Feral and HTV, criticised both the initiative and me. President Mesic, who publicly supported the idea, was also attacked, even so far as to demand he relinquish his post. Journalists like Gordan Malic, Ivan Zvonimir Cicak, Ivica Djikic, Denis Kuljis, from HTV led by Zoran Sprajc, right up to the most ridiculous of them, Zeljko Peratovic, who claimed from his laughable Internet portal that I had met with Gotovina at Mesic’s Pantovcak residence. I was subject to daily attacks. I could not believe the just how much malice there was among journalists. The chief theory put forward by the press at the time was Gotovina was in Croatia, and there were constant alleged sightings of Gotovina in Croatia appearing the newspapers…

Ivo Pukanić, Nacional, 18.09.2008. | nr. 670

Government of the Republic of Croatia
Trg svetog Marka 2
10 000 Zagreb
To the attention of: Dr Ivo Sanader, the Prime Minister
Dear Sir,
I am passing this civil petition on to you regarding the conduct of the Security and Intelligence Agency (SOA). The petition has also been forwarded to the Committee for Internal Politics and National Security and the Council for Civil Supervision of Intelligence Agencies. I would appreciate if you also, in accordance with your statutory authorities, joined in the stopping of a years-long SOA persecution that I have been exposed to. I am willing to inform international officials and the proper journalists associations and associations for civil rights protection, which are of vital Croatian national interests, on the results of your engagement and parliamentary investigation.
Yours faithfully,
Freelance journalist and blogger
Željko Peratović
Zvonigradska 33
10 000 Zagreb
Zagreb, 14 March, 2008.

Croatian Parliament
Trg Svetog Marka 6
10 000 Zagreb
Council for Civil Supervision of Security-Intelligence Agencies
Mile Ćulumović, the presidentParliamentary Committee for Internal Politics and National Security
Ranko Ostojić, the president

Subject: CIVIL PETITION AGAINST SOA CONDUCT

Dear Sir, my name is Željko Peratović. I am a freelance journalist and blogger from Zagreb. I am addressing you so that you, in accordance with your statutory obligations, take necessary actions regarding the protection of my basic human and professional rights and freedoms, Pursuant to Article 38 of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia. Following the conducted parliamentary investigation, in 2005 the Council and the Committee jointly concluded that «there is a reasonable doubt that POA (Counter-Intelligence Agency) violated those rights». The same have been systematically violated to date by SOA, a POA legal successor.

As you have probably learnt from the media, on 17 October, 2007, criminal investigators from the Zagreb Police Department searched my under-age daughter’s flat in which I live. I was arrested under the suspicion of disclosing (publishing) state and military secrets.

Besides DORH unofficial statements claiming that my arrest was the result of « a nonsense in the police» and president Stjepan Mesić saying that it was the police case so he did not want to declare himself since the police is not in his competence, I have been claiming from the start that the intimidation my family and I have been exposed to was initiated, supervised and mostly conducted by SOA.
Apart from indications and information I have personally received as the confirmation of the above mentioned, last week the following Internet sites:
http://cnn.blog.hr/2008/03/1624367674/soa-zeljko-peratovic-drzavni-je-neprijatelj-broj-jedan.html and http://pollitika.com/soa-zeljko-peratovic-drzavni-je-neprijatelj-broj-jedan,
published an article with the SOA accompanying documents, which, if authentic, confirm my suspicions I was stating regarding the role SOA had in the violation of my human and professional rights and freedoms.
Therefore, I request from the already mentioned Council and Committee to set up a joint commission that will verify the authenticity of documents published in the afore mentioned blog addresses, or, to be more accurate, located in the following hosting addresses:
http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=str1kz9.gif ,
http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=str2am3.gif i http://www.divshare.com/download/3945111-7c5 and establish whether SOA has violated my, as well as the rights and freedoms of the other «suspects» who have been said to comment on 45 lines: Željko Bagić, Romano Bolković and Vjekoslav Brajović, and, accordingly, ask for the responsibility (including criminal liability) of the competent ones or establish that my objections have been unfounded.

The published documents point to SOA’s repeated and multi-type breaking the law. Besides being suspected of disclosing already released state and military secrets, which is a precedent as well as nonsense in the past repressive practice of the young Croatian country, I have also been incriminated by an accusation that I «was jeopardizing the safety of SOA employees by making their names and positions known». That is nothing but a doubt used to divert attention from the fact that I only mentioned the SOA employees’ identity in the context of articles on nepotism and corruption in the process of reorganization of the security-intelligence system and the personnel policy of Tomislav Karamarko, the SOA director. It is also one of Tomislav Karamarko’s personal motives for insisting on breaking the law and violation of my rights and freedoms.

The document titled « The analysis of the article/commentary background on blog 45 lines» clearly shows that SOA has continued to vilify me with its «interventions on blog», and even to suspect me of contributing to the Milan Levar, a witness to war crimes in Gospić, murder. On many occasions, I wrote and stated that Tomislav Karamarko, the current SOA director, who was the head of UNS (Office for National Security) at the time and after the murder of Milan Levar, participated in the obstruction of preliminary investigation activities connected to the mentioned murder. I hold that the «SOA intervention» on my blog saying that «I disclosed Milan Levar’s movement to suspects» is a direct pressure that SOA exerted on me in order to keep quiet as a potential witness in the investigation of Milan Levar’s murder. The comparison of the alleged SOA document and «SOA intervention» on 45 lines can be seen on the website:

http://peratovic.blog.hr/2008/03/1624374633/koga-bloga-soa.html.

Update, 16. 04. 2008:Amnesty International is particularly concerned about the slow pace of prosecutions for war crimes in Croatia and the apparent ethnic bias of investigations, most involving only Croatian Serb perpetrators. The organization is also worried about harassment and intimidation of victims and witnesses, as well as journalists reporting on war crimes. Croatian authorities have not made accountability for war crimes a clear political priority. The EU has a responsibility within the accession process to demand that they do so.

While in Brussels, Irene Khan will also introduce the screening of an Amnesty International film documenting impunity for war crimes in Croatia and address the European Policy Centre on EU asylum policies in the context of security.Amnesty.org, 15. 04. 2008

Parts of AI’s documentary: “Croatia: A Wall Of Silence” about cases Gospić, Levar and Peratović. Full video you must see under link. 

I have indirect information that SOA was illegally involved in the police procedures regarding my case. According to some sources close to SOA, Tomislav Milčić, the chief of staff, was personally appointed by Tomislav Karamarko to run the operation «45 lines». He was allegedly involved in the illegal search of my personal things, during which my digital camera’s memory card on which a part of the interview with the former agent of the Yugoslav secret agency SID, Josip Majerski, was destroyed (see http://peratovic.blog.hr/2008/01/1623938621/ipak-me-policija-naljutila-obracam-se-hhou.html).

According to my sources, Tomislav Milčić does not have proper qualifications needed for the job position to which he was appointed by Tomislav Karamarko, the SOA director. There is publicly available information according to which the German administration of justice, at some time, expressed its disapproval with the SOA employee, Tomislav Milčić, taking part in the Croatian authorities’ noncooperation regarding international legal help in the case of Krunoslav Prates being on trial as an accessory to the murder of emigrant Stjepan Đureković. These days, one of the German judges said that he would turn the Republic of Croatia to competent EU institutions on charges of the above mentioned noncooperation. Therefore, judging by this example of the head of staff in SOA, it is obvious that not only SOA statements, claiming that my articles are directed against national interests – accession of Croatia to the Euro-Atlantic integrations, are unfounded but, on the contrary. It is SOA conduct which is directed against accession of Croatia to the Euro-Atlantic Integrations.

There is a reasonable doubt that in my case, it is sources from SOA who were leaking information to the media. For better understanding, please check on the articles in Slobodna Dalmacija -
http://arhiv.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20071020/novosti02.asp and Nacional – http://www.nacional.hr/articles/view/39138/.

Therefore, I would like the addressees to carry out the parliamentary investigation into this case as soon as possible. Due to SOA illegal conduct, besides the above mentioned rights and freedoms pursuant to Article 38 of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, I have also been denied the right to work and I am afraid for my family and my physical existence in Croatia. I suggest the following to be summoned as potential witnesses:
1. Željko Peratović
2. Tomislav Karamarko
3. Josip Buljević
4. Tomislav Milčić
5. Romano Bolković
6. Željko Bagić
7. Vjekoslav Brajović
8. Jasna Babić
9. Berislav Jelinić

Due to multiple conflicts of interest which I am willing to explain in detail during the parliamentary hearing, it is my recommendation to prevent Mr Tomislav Matijević, the Committee secretary, of having any contact with the information of this petition.

Yours faithfully,

Freelance journalist and blogger

Željko Peratović

Zvonigradska 33

10 000 Zagreb

Note: I have informed the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, CHC and CJA about this petition.

Quelque part, la Croatie, Novi list, Rijeka, 29.10.2007
Ecrit par Boris Pavelić

Le président de certains citoyens

Le discours inaugural de Mesić en 2000 contenait une force de liberté, mais aujourd’hui le président justifie la répression contre les journalistes. Il s’agit d’une régression qu’il faut regretter.

Je serai le président de tous les citoyens de ce pays. De même je serai citoyen président. C’est ce qu’avait promis Stipe Mesić dans son discours d’investiture en débutant son premier mandat. Toutes proportions gardées, ces mots contenaient la force de liberté de l’introduction historique de la Déclaration américaine d’indépendance. « Nous considérons ces vérités comme évidentes : que tous les hommes sont nés égaux… ». La rupture de la toile d’araignée des services secrets et des influences politiques sur les medias et les libertés des journalistes était peut être la partie essentielle des changements sociaux à venir depuis la « démocrature » de Tuđman envers la communauté de l’Etat de droit, que personnifiait l’élection de Mesić comme président. Et là encore Mesić s’est comporté comme un brise-glace politique. Mais voilà, huit années après, Stjepan Mesić justifie sur un ton sarcastique la répression contre les journalistes car il n’est plus limité par aucune échéance électorale alors même que son règne de président devrait atteindre des sommets sidéraux, voire des moments haveliens. Il s’agit d’une régression qu’il faut regretter. Ce sont des erreurs par lesquelles les hommes de mérite se compromettent devant l’Histoire.

« Si la loi est enfreinte, cela sera établi. Car la police peut auditionner quiconque, et même moi – quand mon mandat sera terminé » a dit aux journalistes, il y a une semaine, le président Mesić dans une déclaration passée inaperçue concernant l’arrestation de journaliste Željko Peratović. « Je ne vais pas démentir tous ceux qui m’attaquent tous les jours a l’instar de Dujmović, Ivkošić, Margetić ou autres. Celui-là appartient sans doute à cette liste ; il y a juste que je ne sais rien de lui. Et s’il jouit du fait que je ne l’aime pas, qu’il en profite » a ajouté Mesić dans une déclaration contradictoire et partiellement mensongère, dont l’analyse montrerait soit que le président ne comprend pas, soit qu’il néglige délibérément le principe d’égalité des citoyens devant la loi, tout dépendant du point de savoir si telle ou telle personne lui plaît.

La honte du système répressif

Mais il vaut procéder par ordre. Tout le monde sait aujourd’hui que l’arrestation du journaliste indépendant Željko Peratović s’est transformée en une énorme honte du système répressif. Le paradoxe d’humour noir réside dans le fait que ce système confus et rougi ait lui-même reconnu sa propre honte. Peratović, nous le savons, a été arrêté pour avoir, il y a deux ans, publié sur son blog trois documents connus et déjà publiés. C’est un scandale à cause duquel, dans les Etats qui tiennent aux libertés d’expression, les démissions sauteraient comme des étincelles. Mais pas chez nous : même si le premier ministre a personnellement annoncé le châtiment des responsables ; même si la police a d’abord arrêté Peratović pour ensuite accuser le procureur et les services secrets déclarant qu’elle n’a plus l’intention de s’occuper d’affaires semblables ; même si le procureur, en couvrant de cendre son premier homme, frémissait publiquement de l’attitude de la police, essayant de laver ses propres pêchés, – il n’est rien arrivé à personne. De plus – et c’est là le sommet – le président de l’Etat lui-même, l’homme qui aime d’ordinaire à se présenter comme défenseur de la liberté de la presse, a parfumé tous ces excréments des anciennes écuries d’Augias jamais nettoyés du labyrinthe de l’espionnage croate.

Le message de l’homme au dessus des lois

Et parfumé à quel point ! « Si la loi est enfreinte, cela sera établi. Car la police peut auditionner quiconque » a dit Mesić. Mais arrêtez ! Même un journaliste qui a repris une information publiée depuis longtemps ? S’il en va ainsi, le président devrait dire quelle est cette frontière qui sépare la police démocratique de la répression arbitraire ? Si c’est ainsi, pourquoi était-il injustifié que Mesić soit incarcéré pour avoir fondé des entreprises à Orahovica et avoir introduit le capitalisme pourri dans l’idylle de la justice socialiste ? Il avait en effet violé les lois d’alors, la police l’a auditionné – car « elle peut auditionner quiconque – et il s’est bien trouvé arrêté. Il a violé la loi, mon cher, et pourquoi se révolte-t-il maintenant?! Le Président nous a rappelé où s’arrêtait les pouvoirs d’interrogatoire de la police : « mais moi aussi quand mon mandat sera terminé ». Il y a, dans cette affirmation, de quoi vous glasser le sang. « à la différence de vous, je suis intouchable » a dit Mesić à la nation. Hormis le fait que cette affirmation soit fausse – car le président de la République n’a pas d’immunité de poursuites pénales s’il commet un crime, elle est non-démocratique, napoléonienne, et insultante pour les citoyens sensibles démocratiquement. Et en ce qui concerne Peratović, il est le premier journaliste que le président de la République ait laché dans les griffes de l’arbitraire et d’une répression imprévisible des stupides Clouzots croates. Il l’a fait, de surcroît, avec plaisir, démontrant qu’il n’était pas « le président de tous « mais de certains seulement des citoyens de ce pays.

Harassment of Croatian reporter raises concernsEuropean Diary: The men in leather jackets came at 7am in the morning with pistols strapped to their backs. They confiscated four computers, a mobile phone, contact books and hundreds of documents belonging to the Croatian investigative journalist Zeljko Peratovic, writes Jamie Smyth

“They told my four-year-old daughter and my wife not to move and took everything from 15 years of investigative work – documents, cassettes and CDs,” says Peratovic, who spent the night in prison before being released earlier this month. Peratovic was detained on suspicion of disclosing state secrets on his internet blog, in a move demanded by both the head of the secret service and the office of the public prosecutor. His detention, which has taken place ahead of a general election scheduled for November 25th, has prompted public concerns over press freedom in Croatia, a country that wants to join the EU in 2009. The international journalist association Reporters Without Borders strongly condemned the arrest, which it said related to posts on the reporter’s blog.

Peratovic, who received a press freedom prize from the Austrian section of Reporters Without Borders in 2003, is best known for his reporting on the death of Milan Levar, a witness for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Levar was killed by a car bomb in 2000 in Gospic, a town in southwest Croatia. Since then Peratovic has struggled to persuade mainstream newspapers in Croatia to accept his articles. He also alleges regular harassment by the Croatian secret service. “I think they arrested me for revenge and to try and find out who my informants are in the state services and the media,” Peratovic told The Irish Times. “The secret service has been bugging my phone, opening letters and following me because of my work, which has revealed links between top politicians and crimes in the 1990s.”

The reaction to the arrest from the public and from journalism associations has prompted Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader to order an inquiry into the affair. It has also raised fears that Croatia’s past could re-emerge to damage its EU prospects. State harassment of journalists was common during the 1990s when Croatia was ruled with an iron grip by authoritarian president Franjo Tudjman. But in recent years the government led by Sanader has implemented several legislative reforms meant to guarantee freedom of the press. Indeed, last December the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe ruled that enough progress had been made to enable it to conclude its work on press freedom.

“Political, but also commercial pressure on media will probably continue in Croatia, yet the mission believes that media institutions and the civil society sector have reached the point where they can assume the watchdog and advisory role,” says the OSCE’s Ljerka Drazenovic. “The fact that reactions from the media, media associations and civil society circles were so prompt and loud [ about Peratovic], tell that public awareness of protecting this democratic value is high. It is per se a good sign, indicating the achieved level of media freedom in Croatia will be preserved.” Under OSCE standards journalists should not be responsible for protecting state secrets or held accountable for publishing classified information. Only the officials who have a specific legal duty to maintain confidentiality may be held liable if they allow disclosures, says Drazenovic.

Just one important law on press freedom remains to be put in place in Croatia – legislation on the state Croatian Radio and Television network. This was put on hold until after the election because of political sensitivities. The government also needs to follow through on plans to set up a media council, says the OSCE. But new laws do not always change practice, and state control over some media is a real issue, says Ivan Butkovic, of the Croatian Association of Radio and Newspapers.

“Big media firms can resist political and commercial pressure, but at a local level there are issues in Croatia. For example 60 per cent of local radio stations are owned by local authorities. This means local politicians wield great influence,” he says. Josip Kregar, dean of the faculty of law at the University of Zagreb, agrees that control over local radio either by local politicians or entrepreneurs often gives them huge sway in local communities. He also highlights the growing commercial pressure on the media exerted by big companies, which can use advertising to control it. But he says the controversy over the arrest of Peratovic probably reflects problems with the Croatian secret service rather than political influence over the media. “There is freedom of the press in Croatia, but the secret service is not yet fully under political control,” says Kregar. “It is not one case with a journalist, but it is about a conspiracy network behind the secret service.” He points out that political oversight of the secret service will be critical when the EU comes to judge Croatia’s readiness to join. Peratovic, who is pledging to continue working as an investigate reporter in Croatia, gives his own assessment of Croatia’s readiness to join the 27-member club.

“With things like this happening to journalists how can we join the EU?” he asks.

The Irish Times, Dublin, Tuesday, October 30, 2007

18.10.07: Kroatien ROG-Preisträger Zeljko Peratovic in Kroatien verhaftet

Investigativer Journalist wird der „Preisgabe von Staatsgeheimnissen“ beschuldigt

Reporter ohne Grenzen Österreich ist in großer Sorge um den kroatischen Journalisten Zeljko Peratovic, der gestern Abend in Kroatien verhaftet wurde. Peratovic wurde 2003 für seinen investigativen Beitrag zur Aufarbeitung der kroatischen Kriegsverbrechen von ROG Österreich mit dem „Press Freedom Award“ ausgezeichnet.

Wie Peratovics Ehefrau ROG mitteilte, kam es gestern früh zunächst zu einer siebenstündigen Hausdurchsuchung, bei der auch drei Laptops, ein PC und schriftliche Unterlagen des Journalisten beschlagnahmt wurden. Peratovic wird vorgeworfen, in seinem Blog Staatsgeheimnisse preisgegeben zu haben.

Konkret soll es um einen Eintrag gehen, in dem auf eine für heute Abend (18.10., 20:10 h) geplante Sendung des kroatischen Staatsfernsehens namens “Brisani Prostor” hingewiesen wird. In der Sendung soll ein Interview mit Fatima Skula gezeigt werden, die als Zeugin des Internationalen Kriegsverbechertribunals in Den Haag über Kriegsverbrechen an Serben in der norddalmatischen Kleinstadtz Gospic berichtet hatte. Peratovic schreibt in seinem Eintrag: „Diese Sendung enthält authentische Aussagen über die Ereignisse in Gospic. Hauptverdächtige sind der verstorbene Verteidigungsminister Gojko Susak und der der HDZ-Sopitzenkandidat für die kroatischen Parlamentswahlen am 25. November, Ex-Vizepräsident Darko Milinovic (HDZ).

Was von dem gesamten Gespräch auch ausgestrahlt wird, werden wir am Donnerstag Abend wissen.“ Nach der Durchsuchung wurde Peratovic auf die Polizeiwache mitgenommen, wo er sechs Stunden lang in einem „informellen Gespräch“ befragt wurde. Der Journalist wartet nun auf die Einvernahme durch den Staatsanwalt, der entscheidet, ob Peratovic bis zu einem möglichen Gerichtsverfahren weiter in U-Haft bleiben muss. Die Höchststrafe für den Verrat von Staatsgeheimnissen beträgt drei Jahre Haft. Der 1966 geborene Journalist hatte bereits in den 90er-Jahren in den Wochenzeitungen Nacional und Globus über die Kriegsverbrechen in Gospic berichtet – zu einer Zeit, als 80 % der Kroaten der Meinung waren, dass die „eigene Seite“ keinerlei Kriegsverbrechen begangen hätte.

Peratovic war auch selbst Zeuge des Internationalen Kriegsverbrechertribunals für das ehemalige Jugoslawien. Einer seiner Informanten, ein Augenzeuge der Verbrechen und ebenfalls Zeuge des Tribunals, wurde später ermordet. Peratovic wurde wegen seiner Artikel immer wieder des „nationalen Verrats“ bezichtigt. 2003 wurde er von Extremisten bedroht und belästigt, einmal wurde er auf offener Straße von einem nicht verurteilten Kriegsverbrecher körperlich attackiert. Seine Frau und seine kleine Tochter zogen daraufhin aus Sicherheitsgründen in die Schweiz. Von seinem Arbeitgeber, der kroatischen Zeitung Vjesnik, wurde Peratovic im August 2005 fristlos entlassen. Offiziell wurde dieser Schritt damit begründet, dass er ein Interview für die Wochenzeitschrift Feral Tribune gemacht und veröffentlicht hatte, wozu er seinem Vertrag gemäß nicht berechtigt war.

Peratovic zog daraufhin zu seiner Familie in die Schweiz. Zu der gestrigen Verhaftung kam es im Zuge einer Kroatien-Reise der Familie. Peratovic hatte sich schon im Dezember 2006 an Reporter ohne Grenzen gewandt und dargelegt, dass er sich durch den kroatischen Geheimdienst verfolgt fühle und guten Grund zur Annahme habe, dass sein Telefon abgehört werde. Erst am 8. Oktober hatte er erneut in seinem Blog gepostet, dass er jüngsten Informationen zufolge wieder verstärkt durch den kroatischen Geheimdienst überwacht wird.

ROG, Presse / Aktuelle News

Giornalismo croato ancora sotto attacco

Il recente arresto del giornalista Zeljko Peratovic, sospettato di aver scoperto presunti segreti di stato poi pubblicati sul suo blog, ha riportato all’attenzione la libertŕ di stampa in Croazia.

Dura la reazione dell’Ordine dei giornalisti croati In Croazia l’arresto del giornalista indipendente Zeljko Peratovic, sospettato di aver scoperto presunti segreti di stato poi pubblicati sul suo blog, ha scatenato ormai da giorni una bufera che non accenna a placarsi. Questo “avvenimento inammissibile” – tale e stato definito l’arresto del giornalista dal Comitato di Helsinki croato per i diritti umani nella dichiarazione pubblica del 23 ottobre – ha di nuovo messo in primo piano la questione della libertŕ dei media croati, che fino alla fine del 1999, durante il governo dell’ex presidente croato Franjo Tudjman, è sempre stata sotto seria minaccia.

Peratovic, ex giornalista del settimanale politico “Globus” e poi del quotidiano “Vjesnik”, oggi giornale filo-governativo, è stato arrestato mercoledě scorso, dopo che la polizia con mandato di perquisizione del suo appartamento gli ha chiesto la consegna dei computer, dei cd e dell’archivio. Nel pomeriggio dello stesso giorno, la polizia ha fatto irruzione anche nei locali di TV Nova, una delle tre televisioni croate con la licenza nazionale, chiedendo che i tecnici dei computer cancellassero dal blog di Peratovic i due contenuti in questione. Questo perché TV Nova è proprietaria del server sul quale Peratovic aveva il suo blog. Quando giovedě scorso, dopo l’interrogatorio, la polizia lo ha rilasciato, Peratovic ha dichiarato che non gli è chiaro di quali presunti segreti statali si tratti. Uno dei documentati pubblicati sul suo blog “45 lines” si riferiva al pedinamento della polizia, di cui è stato oggetto insieme ad altri cinque giornalisti a causa dei testi su Ante Gotovina, il generale accusato dall’Aja per crimini di guerra e al tempo latitante. Gli altri due documenti sui contatti dei servizi segreti britannici con i servizi segreti croati non ha fatto che prenderli dai testi giŕ pubblicati dal settimanale “Nacional” e dal Hrvatski list. “Questi documenti sono stati pubblicati sui giornali e io li ho soltanto presi e pubblicati sul mio blog”, ha detto Peratovic.

Peratovic si occupava d’indagini scottanti, è il giornalista che ha scritto in modo piů dettagliato su Milan Levar, il testimone dell’Aja assassinato nel 2000. Levar aveva detto ai media quello che sapeva sul conto del generale Mirko Norac (sotto processo a Zagabria insieme al generale Rahim Ademi per crimini di guerra commessi nell’operazione Sacca di Medak) coinvolto nei crimini di Gospic, per i quali e stato condannato a 12 anni di carcere dal Tribunale distrettuale di Rijeka. Levar è stato ucciso in modo misterioso da una bomba davanti alla sua casa di Gospic è il suo assassino non è mai stato identificato.

Peratovic si è occupato anche dei temi della criminalita organizzata e spesso era in contatto anche con informatori del sottobosco croato. Temi dei suoi articoli sono stati il presidente Stjepan Mesic, il premier Ivo Sanader e il capo dei servizi segreti croati Tomislav Karamarko

Peratovic di recente ha pubblicato sul suo blog anche la testimonianza di una tale Fatima Skula che accusa pesantemente il vicepresidente del Parlamento croato Darko Milinovic (membro del partito di governo del premier Sanader, Unione democratica croata, HDZ) perché coinvolto nei crimini di guerra di Gospic.

L’arresto di Peratovic è presto diventato oggetto della campagna elettorale che, a fronte delle elezioni parlamentari in Croazia, fissate per il 25 novembre, si è giŕ infiammata alla grande. Dal Partito socialdemocratico (SDP) all’opposizione, che i sondaggi prevedono vincitore delle prossime elezioni, è giunta la seguente dichiarazione: “Di nuovo gli organi giudiziari, come alla fine degli anni novanta, si sono gettati contro i giornalisti invece di indirizzare la loro attivitŕ verso quelli che dall’interno degli organi statali consegnano i dati classificati ai giornalisti”. “Il mio punto di vista è noto e lo ripeterň di nuovo: io sono per una totale libertŕ dei media e, per quanto riguarda me e il mio governo, non possono esserci restrizioni di alcun tipo. Ovviamente la libertŕ dei media e la libertŕ in generale includono anche la responsabilitŕ di ciň che viene detto e scritto. Nessuno puň prescindere da questa responsabilitŕ, né i politici, né i giornalisti, né nessuno altro, ma io sto sempre dalla parte dei giornalisti”, ha detto Sanader promettendo un’indagine con la quale si accerterŕ in che modo si e giunti all’arresto del giornalista. “Lui [Sanader] e per la liberta dei media ma ama arrestare i giornalisti e a questi arresti e al maltrattamento partecipa anche il ministero diretto dal suo ministro (degli Affari Interni, Ivica Kirin)”, ha replicato a Sanader il capo del SDP, Zoran Milanovic. L’Ordine dei giornalisti croati ha reagito in modo severo all’arresto del loro membro, valutando questo gesto come “un drastico esempio di minaccia alle libertŕ giornalistiche in Croazia e come un’immemorabile pressione contro la liberta dei media e dei giornalisti”. Se sono stati minacciati dei segreti di stato, allora gli inquirenti dovrebbero occuparsi delle persone che passano i segreti e non dei giornalisti che li pubblicano”, fa sapere l’Ordine dei giornalisti croati.

L’editorialista dello “Jutarnji list” di Zagabria, Davor Butkovic afferma che l’arresto di Peratovic sia stato “un errore madornale” e aggiunge che una cosa del genere non accadeva nemmeno al tempo del presidente Franjo Tudjman, noto per il suo modo autoritario di governare e per il suo continuo conflitto con i giornalisti. “Lo Stato non deve arrestare i giornalisti a causa della loro attivita professionale, dunque nemmeno per la pubblicazione dei segreti di stato”, dice Butkovic.

Secondo il comunicato di Freedom House, che valuta lo stato di liberta dei media nel mondo, la Croazia l’anno scorso era al 87-imo posto insieme al Brasile, Timor Est e il Perů. Gli analisti avvertono che l’arresto dei giornalisti, come nel caso di Zeljko Peratovic, non contribuira di certo al miglioramento della gia bassa valutazione della Croazia ottenuta quest’anno.

Osservatorio Balcani, Da Osijek, scrive Drago Hedl, 25.10.2007<

Columns, statements and texts of Ivo Pukanic are extremely suitable for analyses to researchers of international corruption and organized crime. In todays column Sarkozy and third mobile operator , Pukanic involved new French President in potential corruption scandal with the Croatian Government. The owner of Nacional claims that Sanader’s government should make possible entering of French telecommunication giant Alcatel on Croatian market through giving concession to Monaco’s Match Télécom, and in return French would guarantee to Croatia starting of negotiations with EU without condition of arresting Ante Gotovina.

As usual, whenever Pukanic writes about Gotovina and French always in background must be President Stjepan Mesic and enterpreneur sentenced for kidnapping of juvenile, Hrvoje Petrac. Pukanic drags in Sarkozy in corruption story to give Croatian public false explanation of probable stand of new French President with regard to his colleague Mesic and his «businesses» with Chirac and French Ministry of Defence in which mediated Hrvoje Petrac.

As far as I know Nicolas Sarkozy as a Home Secretary was not delighted with a fact that French Ministry of Defence gave villa to Hrvoje Petrac in the south of France as a gift for merits in jobs with military-industrial complex Giat. Nacional in 2003 informed about Petrac’s business with French and Djuro Djakovic:

Besides firm «Djuro Djakovic-Special vehicles», as a carrier of development and production, on production of components for tank Degman are also engaged foreign partners as Israeli «Elbit», French giants of arms industry, firms «Thales» and «Giat», and from Croatia at the moment are engaged even 33 firms.

Eduard Sostaric, 8 January 2003

Chirac’s men in Ministry of Defense were strongly opposing on every complaint about engagement of Hrvoje Petrac with explanation that he is friend of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, who makes possible to France profitable jobs with Croatia.

So also the story which was published by Le Monde that Ante Gotovina after 2003 lived in the south of France (most probably in Petrac’s villa) more and more seems to be true.

Croatian President Mesic during his last visit to colleague Chirac had guaranteed one more big job to French Ministry of Defense and military-industrial complex.

At the end of last month France has offered to Croatian shipbuilding extremely favourable joint project of building of militry vessels. To Croatia is offered participation in building French frigate FREMM on 16 bow section of which every is 70 meters long. The offer is valid if Croatia decides to acquire four French corvettes type Gowind 200, of which only one would be built in French shipyard and the last three in one of Croatian shipyards, most probably in Kraljevica. It is the matter of business that has not been offered to Croatia since its moment of independence and it can not be compared with no alike, at least when it is the matter of defence project of Republic of Croatia with some other European country.

Eduard Sostaric, 6 November 2006

In order the job to be implemented, Chirac and French Ministry of Defense decided to help Mesic who in front of international community compromised himself by helping to Gotovina, so the job of supervision of Gotovina’s hiding they gave to intelligence general Phillipe Rondot.

All the same, Ante Gotovina was coming to Croatia, and Sanader’s government pressed by Carla Del Ponte managed to persuade the fugitive to go to Tenerife and then deliver him to Spanish police and Haag.

By unsupported information of French intelligence services at Gotovina was found one part of marked euros from kidnapping of son of Vladimir Zagorac.

President Mesic, Hrvoje Petrac and their French partners from Ministry of Defence continued with pressure on Sanader’s government to bless the contract about joint business with military vessels, exactly when a judge Ivan Turudic supposed to reach the verdict for kidnapping of Zagorac’s son.

Turudic condemned Petrac and sentenced him on six years in prison, so the French Ministry of Defence, that by the way promissed to Hrvoje Petrac an enormous fee, had to give up of business with Croatia on building corvettes and frigates.

With all that, as far as I know, Nicolas Sarkozy didn’t have anything. But, as perspectives for his winning on president elections were growing, the fears in Croatia were spreading how would he react on President Mesic and Hrvoje Petrac and their deals with French Ministry of Defence.

The lobbies in SOA inform me about great concern for alleged friendship of Sarkozy and Marin Tomulic, by whose accepted criminal notification in Paris is in progress investigation about involvment of Stjepan Mesic and Hrvoje Petrac in attempted Tomulic’s murder for which is reported Marko Nikolic.

Although we recently could hear statements of people in Sarkozy’s party that about entering of Croatia in EU would not be decided at French referendum, that is France would not put barriers to us on our way to Europe, but they are opposing that Turkey becomes a member, Ivo Pukanic, to hide revealing of possible dirt of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, writes that France under Sarkozy could make problems to us because it blockades European constitution.

P.S. On the loom is another international disgrace with trade/smuggling of weapons with which is connected President Stjepan Mesic. On the last hearing regarding to Croatian request for extradition, suspect Vladimir Zagorec asked from Austrian judge exemption of public. Not without strong reason, the sources close to Austrian judicature are persuading me. Allegedly he is preparing to ask for political asylum in Austria on the basis of cmplaint that President Stjepan Mesic is persecuting him because, among other things, he refused to participate in smuggling of rockets S-300 to Iraq, and because of what under Mesic’s sponsorship was allegedly in Zagreb, at the beginning of mentioned year, Saddam’s chief of intelligence service. According to the same sources, in the business with Iraq and S-300 suppose to participate also Mesic’s brother-in-law, Zarko Pavlina.

Post is published on 8 May 2007 on 45 lines at 11:50

Through several known stories for me I will try to explain kinds of methods of Josip Perkovic, with which he threats to persons he’s taking for enemies and sends them other messages.

In September 1999 in Zagreb in the street and in the afternoon physically attacked me, now deceased, convicted war criminal Munib Suljic, when on his question about what and who I as a journalist appear in media and did I write about Pakracka poljana, I answered that I appeared in talk show Latinica about death treats from Josip Perkovic.

Although I asked for, lawyer of Croatian journalist association, Orhideja Martinovic, also State lawyers’ office following official obligation, did not this attack qualify as the one ordered by Josip Perkovic. Meanwhile I found out that Josip Perkovic was involved in murder of Marina Nuic, the Croat who was murdered in 1991 on Pakracka poljana exactly by Munib Suljic, as a «spy» of Josip Perkovic. According to my knowledge, Josip Perkovic was blackmailing Munib Suljic with cognitions about Nuic’s murder, and in favour to Perkovic, he was making threats and attacks.

At the end of 1999 after death of Franjo Tudjman from Robert Frank from Rijeka who was attacked in Mostar the same year in spring and his fingers had been broken and till today no attackers were found, I got an information that Tomo Sedlo died, former Croatian political emigrant, who in 1992 publicly testimonied about criminal acts of deceased Minister of defense, Gojko Susak and his war assisstant, former chief of UDBA, Josip Perkovic. Together with lawyer Slobodan Budak who represented me at that time in a process in which I was sued for slander by daughter of deceased President, Nevenka Tudjman, I concluded that the sender of the message was Josip Perkovic, who threatened to Tomo Sedlo in that way that he would be death if he continued to talk in media against him. I talked about that with Tomo Sedlo and he agreed with my and Budak’s evaluation.

After the elections for President on ceremony of proclaiming of Stjepan Mesic appeared also Josip Perkovic and with a kiss congratulated Mesic on his victory.

Tomo Sedlo sold his summer house and continued to live in Frankfurt and he never appeared in media again.

Josip Perkovic’s son, Sasa, who is now in position of President’s counsellor for national security, made progress thanks to his father and President Mesic, first as a assisstant of director of HIS (Croatian Information Service) (OA today [Intelligence agency] joined to POA in SOA). Josip Perkovic directly helped him as a secret counsellor of president of UNS, Tomislav Karamarko (2000-2001) and at the same time counsellor of director of HIS, Damir Loncaric.

The Prime Minister Ivo Sanader replaced Damir Loncaric and Sasa Perkovic in 2004 when he got the notice about their connections with mobbster Hrvoje Petrac.

In order to return his influence through his son on security-intelligence services, Josip Perkovic initiated in Globus through journalist Gordan Malic intelligence affair Presentation of POA about cooperation of journalists with Haag’s investigators and agents of MI-6.

Malic paid special attention to the fact that in documents of POA about cooperation of journalist Malic with Haag’s investigators Vera and Looms there were mentioned names of Josip and Sasa Perkovic.

Gordan Malic personaly praised to me that he had in preparation more secret documents with which he would break up the government of Ivo Sanader.

In order to hide his responsibility for dealing with secret documents, Josip Perkovic through Perica Juric, (1990/1991 deputy of Minister of police and formaly superior officer to Perkovic) was spreading the story that he had been kidnapped recently by some men under masks and took away from him a part of secret documentation out of hidden archive.

I got that information from X. Y. who heard it from Perica Juric. Mister Y. after conversation with me got the confession from Perica Juric that Josip Perkovic tricked him.

Epilogue of the affaire Presentation was urgent appointment of Sasa Perkovic for counsellor of President of Republic. General lawyer’s office did not accept my request for compensation of the damage because my name was on the list of journalists whom POA accused as enemies of Croatia, so I was forced to sue the State and ask for material compensation. No one of the journalists who were accused by POA didn’t sue the state, by which it can be concluded that the main goal of launching the affaire was achieved by appointment of Sasa Perkovic at President Mesic’s.

Last year in autumn President Stjepan Mesic for the second time of raising the indictment in Germany publicly stood in protection of Josip Perkovic. On the news of indictment he said that our judicature doesn’t deliver Croatian citizens to judicature of other countries and that Perkovic is a great professional who helped Croatia. Now he said that German indictment against Perkovic in fact attack on his son Sasa, that is on the President himself, Stjepan Mesic. He repeated that Perkovic is a great professional.

After that statement I got a phone call from Germany from mister Josip Majerski who during the 80-ties of last century testimonied in German media that he escaped from SDS (UDBA) and that from Josip Perkovic and other chiefs of UDBA he had got orders for liquidations. Majerski in 1988 appeared in Scotland as witness of accusation against Vinko Sindicic that he shot Croatian emigrant Nikola Stedul. Majerski was key witness who confirmed that Sindicic by order of Croatian SDS (UDBA) shot Stedul.

Now Majerski ask me is it true that Nikola Stedul died as he heared in Germany.

About that I informed mister X. Y. who called Stedul. Stedul was surprised and also got scared. Although he lives in Croatia and he is known as public opponent of Josip Perkovic, besides he and his men ( Mirko Norac, Tihomir Oreskovic, Nikola Kristo, Antonio Lekic, Mihael Budimir, Tvrtko Pasalic) were closely cooperating with Josip Perkovic in 1991/1992 (death of Miro Baresic, war crime in Gospic, war port Lora in Split, Derventa in Bosnian Posavina), Nikola Stedul for several years did not appeared in Croatian media.

Similar as in countries of former Communist block: Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia…, also in Croatia certain structures of Communist secret police survived transition and today also have significant power in society. In Croatia it grew stronger through the war because people like Josip Perkovic, who was the latest chief of Communist secret police in Croatia, got opportunity to through crimes in war hide or mist up participation in crimes during the Communism.

Шпионов нашли в редакции, МОСКОВСКИЕ НОВОСТИ №7 за 2005 год (18.02.2005)

Ирина Бороган, Андрей Солдатов

Есть два верных способа обезвредить журналиста. Первый – испортить ему репутацию, второй – создать вокруг него обстановку, в которой он не сможет общаться со своими источниками. Против хорватского журналиста Желько Ператовича местные спецслужбы использовали оба метода. Желько и шестерых его коллег обвинили в том, что они по заданию британской разведки МИ6 распространяли ложную информацию о местонахождении военного преступника генерала Готовины, разыскиваемого Гаагским трибуналом. Желько оказался в патовой ситуации. Во-первых, мало кому понравится побывать в шкуре шпиона; во-вторых, он чуть не лишился своей работы в правительственной газете “Вестник“.

Охота на генерала
1 марта 2004 года Франьо Турек, бывший тогда директором хорватской контрразведки (POA), представил хорватскому правительству данные о семерых журналистах, которые попали под наблюдение его службы. Кроме Желько Ператовича, Турек назвал имена Ивича Джикича, Бориса Павелича, Гордaна Малича, Давора Бутковича, Марио Каваина и Иванка Тома. По сведениям шефа контрразведки, все эти люди в своих публикациях распространяли дезинформацию о местонахождении Готовины.

Генерал Анте Готовина значится третьим номером в списке преступников, разыскиваемых Гаагским трибуналом по Югославии. Его обвиняют в организации убийства 150 сербов, а также в изгнании 150 тысяч мирных жителей во время войны. И хотя США объявили за его голову награду 5 млн. долларов, арестовать Готовину до сих пор не удается. Может быть, потому, что Готовине симпатизируют и многие граждане, и некоторые политики.

Однако поимка Готовины стала важным условием вступления Хорватии в Евросоюз. Поэтому охота за генералом превратилась в главное событие хорватской политической жизни. Неуловимый Готовина не сходит с первых полос местных газет.

Главной сенсацией стало интервью Готовины еженедельнику “Национал” в июне 2003 года. Интервью вызвало такой резонанс, что президент Степан Месич публично предложил генералу сделку: Готовина приходит к нему в кабинет и дает показания членам Гаагского трибунала, а президент гарантирует ему личную безопасность.

Сделка так и не состоялась. Крайними оказались журналисты, которые пришли к выводу: Готовина встречался с главным редактором еженедельника в Загребе, а к организации этой встречи причастны спецслужбы. Такие публикации сильно вредили имиджу хорватских властей, регулярно уверявших Евросоюз, что делают все возможное для ареста Готовины.

Но одним лишь наездом на журналистов власть не ограничилась. В июле 2004 года тот же “Национал” разразился новой сенсацией. Он опубликовал имена четырех сотрудников британского посольства и назвал их шпионами. Еженедельник утверждал, что премьер-министр Хорватии Иво Санадер разрешил англичанам под предлогом скорейшей поимки Готовины проводить секретные операции. Статья раскрывала целый антигосударственный заговор – оказывается, МИ6, действуя через завербованных журналистов, организовала целую сеть осведомителей и прослушивала граждан Хорватии, среди которых были и политики.

В августе обнаружилось, что на сайте НАТО расшифрованные хорватским еженедельником британцы значатся в качестве сотрудников разведки. Представители британских спецслужб сразу же заявили, что ошибка НАТО создала угрозу жизни секретных агентов. Это был, пожалуй, первый случай, когда принадлежность к разведке была официально подтверждена. После этого один из лидеров британской оппозиционной Консервативной партии даже заявил: “С такими друзьями нам не нужны враги”.

В результате угроза для журналистов стала еще более реальной. В январе американские газеты (например, The Washington Times) писали о работе Желько Ператовича и его коллег на МИ6 как о доказанном факте. Сейчас в скандал оказались замешаны не только журналисты, но и сам президент Хорватии.

Буквально на днях Желько добился начала парламентского расследования действий контрразведки против журналистов.

Охота на журналистов

Желько ПЕРАТОВИЧ сам вышел на корреспондентов “МН” и ответил на наши вопросы:

- Почему группа журналистов стала мишенью контрразведки?

- Политические причины заключаются в том, что президент Степан Месич, который имеет прямой контроль над POA, в 2003 году оказался лично замешан в скандал с генералом Готовиной. После июньского интервью еженедельнику “Национал” Месич призвал Готовину дать показания членам Гаагского трибунала. Готовина через “Национал” передал согласие. Но идея провалилась: прокурор Гаагского трибунала был против предоставления Готовине гарантий безопасности. Спустя неделю “Национал” по указке президентского советника Багича и Турека начал расследовать деятельность британского посольства в Загребе…

Если бы Месичу удалось уговорить Готовину сдаться и одновременно защитить его свободу, большинство правых избирателей Хорватии, для которых Готовина – кумир, голосовали бы за Месича. Журналисты, обвиненные в работе на МИ6, писали о ситуации вокруг генерала Готовины, о роли президента, шефа контрразведки и прочего во всей этой истории.

- Какие последствия имели эти обвинения?

- Меня не уволили из “Вестника“, но из-за произошедшего я больше не мог писать о генерале Готовине и вести расследования, связанные с руководством хорватских спецслужб. Люди, близкие к Готовине, угрожали мне избиением, а редакция газеты обвиняла меня в публикации непроверенной информации. Если бы их подозрения подтвердились, то моя карьера завершилась бы плохо. Но мне удалось опровергнуть все обвинения. Мои коллеги не подверглись такому давлению: они работали в
частных газетах. Но они также были вынуждены приостановить свои расследования по Готовине.

- Какие доказательства шпионажа представил шеф контрразведки РОА Франьо Турек?

- POA предоставила фотографии моего знакомого Драгутина Франчисковича, когда он встречался с членами Гаагского трибунала по военным преступлениям в Вуковаре (вовсе не по поводу Готовины). Затем POA получила распечатки моих телефонных звонков Франчисковичу, что доказывало факт нашего знакомства. Таким же образом они доказали, что Франчискович связывался с бывшим директором полиции Ранко Остоджичем. Первым лицам государства Турек представил то, что Франчискович общался с членами Гаагского трибунала, Ранко Остоджичем и со мной, а Ранко Остоджич, в свою очередь, общался с агентом МИ6. На основании этого он сделал вывод, что мой текст в “Вестнике” о генерале Готовине – дезинформация, которую я получил от МИ6 через Остоджича и Франчисковича. Хотя на самом деле такой связи не было. И информацию об убежище генерала Готовины я получил из нескольких независимых источников, а не от членов Гаагского трибунала или Ранко Остоджича.

- Если вас обвинил сам шеф контрразведки, то почему вы на свободе?

- Если бы Франьо Турек имел реальные доказательства наших связей с иностранными спецслужбами, он бы возбудил уголовное преследование против нас. Однако в Хорватии до сего времени вообще было только одно шпионское дело – против граждан Хорватии, которых в 1991 году обвиняли в работе на контрразведку Югославской армии. Их так и не судили, а потом обменяли на пленных хорватов. Новое хорватское государство не приняло закон о люстрации против агентов югославской полиции. В начале войны многие из тех, кто ранее сотрудничал со Службой государственной безопасности, и те, кто ранее сотрудничал с иностранными спецслужбами (ЦРУ, БНД, MИ6), были приняты президентом Туджманом на службу. В результате все обвинения звучали полуофициально, как в нашем случае. Тем не менее они создают огромные проблемы в работе и в жизни.

- Почему обвинили в пособничестве МИ6, а не, cкажем, ЦРУ?

- Британцы больше всех возмущались тем, что Хорватия плохо сотрудничает с Гаагским трибуналом в случае с Готовиной. Вот почему мишенью стала МИ6. Кроме того, именно британцы выдвигали поимку Готовины в качестве условия вступления Хорватии в Евросоюз и настаивали на том, что некоторые люди из правительства помогают ему скрываться. Факты таковы, что Британия на Балканах гораздо больше, чем Германия, Франция или США, вовлечена в мирное урегулирование: она предоставляет странам бывшей Югославии помощь в обучении полиции. Но все это происходит по межгосударственным соглашениям, а не так, как это выглядит в обвинениях Франьо Турека.

How Mesic was illegaly trading with weapons for Iraq and Yugoslavia

EXCLUSIVELY:

45 lines first publishes testimony of Marin Tomulic, former supplier of weapon for HV (Croatian army), co-founder of management board of PIK Vrbovec, a 100-days prisoner and the man who sued Marko Nikolic, Hrvoje Petrac and Stjepan Mesic in France, about participation of present Croatian president in illegal trade of weapons for Iraq and Yugoslavia.

Dear Mr. Peratovic,

Considering that media in Croatia according to agreement of President, the Government and «opposition» decided to deprive Croatian public for telling the truth about the Homeland war, I have decided to let in to you that dangerous mission.

International scandal which happened because of broadcasting video tape of Mesic’s speech in Australia in 1992 and his speech on 15th December 2006 in Croatian Academy of Science and Art in Zagreb, reminded me on conversation with Josip MANOLIC, a few days after death of the first Croatian President, Franjo TUDJMAN.
I asked him to tell me about events from the 80’s which caused multi-party order, foundation of HDZ (Croatian Democratic Party) and emancipation of Croatia. From that conversation I would especially mark out several sentences which today have a historical meaning!:

«…………when we found an organisation and infrastructure of future government, we were looking for a person who would represent us on the first future multi-party elections. I think that exactly Josip BOLJKOVAC suggested Franjo TUDJMAN. He praised his unconquerable will, insolence and good relations with emigration. We agreed with Boljkovac and then he went to Nazor Street to talk with Tudjman who withhold the offer. He accepted merely on the third meeting…..We separated with TUDJMAN in 1994 because he didn’t install the agreed politics!!!!»

After the elections in 1999/2000 and «secret» state impact (in which I refused to participate and on 18th April I ended in prison in Rijeka) Stjepan MESIC took over in his hands installing the agreed politics.

Billions of dollars of Croatian emigration and its direct and needed role in Homeland war are hoax and the simpliest manipulation! It is abou several hundreds of millions of dollars which were spent on journeys and expenses of Mesic, Seks… and others and only one little amount ended on «secret» accounts and disappeared again. Only in the first year of war, Croatia was able to finance by itself supplying with weapon worth 2 billions of dollars!!!

And for participation of emigration in Croatian army, there were several thousands of people who were led by criminals like TUTA NALETILIC, ORESKOVIC… whose task was installing the agreed politics that was liquidation of civilians of Serb nationality or Muslim confession. The goal of agreed politics was to oppose MILOSEVIC and at the same time by criminalisation of Croats to prevent the split of Yugoslavia!!

The journeys of MESIC and other installers of agreed politics all over the world and their fashist speech in fact all of us in emigration confused and worried. After death of Maks LUBURIC also died all even then extremely marginalistic, Ustasha organisations, and on so called life they were held by UDBA-s provocators according to agreed politics. Exactly to them were intended Mesic’s fire speeches and not to Croats in emigration who were in generations integrated in democratic associations of countries in which they were looking for liberation from comunist terror.
So the statement of SAB of Croatia made sense that MESIC doesn’t have to appologise to them.

From 1992 till 1999 in Croatia were installed two politics – the agreed politics and the politics of President TUDJMAN! It was in fact about the fight of two politics.

I personally participated in four key historical events during which I concluded that President Tudjman was not informed or he couldn’t leverage on happenings in the field.

1. I informed him about Ahmici, organised the meeting in Zagreb with four Presidents of Communities in Srednja Bosna and prevented Boban’s plan of surrender the Srednja Bosna to Serbs.
By my suggestion, President sent General Anto ROSO in B&H in order to stop the war between Muslims and Croats.

2. I informed him about soon fall of Bihac and according to his order I organised supply of weapons for General DUDAKOVIC.

3. At my place it was arranged, without knowledge of Gojko SUSAK, the meeting of American representatives and President TUDJMAN which preceded the peace negotiations.

4. Several weeks before beginning of the second war in Iraq (in 2003), I was conntacted by the phone by my friend in Paris and former colleague, high ranking person in Ministry of police, that is, intelligence service, of one European country. The next day we met in Geneve. Theme of our conversation was unavoidable war in Iraq. He asked me if I had any knowledge about certain operation of transport of weapons from SERBIA to IRAQ and that was in 1992. On my negative answer he described me the whole course of the operation:

«In 1992 from SUHA REKA across MOSTAR and container port in RIJEKA huge amount of rocket systems were transported in IRAQ with biological and chemical heads.
American CIA revealed recently the whole operation and already had spoken with Serbian Government which agreed to publicly confess the MILOSEVIC’S responsibility in that affaire.
Soon he will, my ex-colleague said, talk about that with President Stjepan MESIC.

Confidently we know that President BUSH has an intention on 17 March 2003 to publicly reveal an evidence that IRAQ possesses arms for massive destruction.
Do us a favour and inform President MESIC that on him depends war or peace in IRAQ.

Tell him that we are in the course of that operation since the very beginning and his role in it!»

I was in great dilemma. As every Croat I was mostly worried abou the destiny of my homeland… What a shame for all of us. Stjepan MESIC in partnership with a criminal MILOSEVIC, the greatest enemy of Croatia, gives arms to criminal HUSSEIN while Croatia is daily bombed and hundreds of thousands of refugees from Croatia and B&H look for salvation in escape to West!!!

The same evening I phoned, now former, Mesic’s friend, Drago FRANCISKOVIC who immediately went to Pantovcak and personally gave message to President Mesic.

Early the next day to RIJEKA went a group from MORH (Ministry of defense of Republic of Croatia) led by brigadier Darijo MATIKA, the assistent of Chief of military intelligence service of Gordan CACIC. They took out all compromising documents and talked to all persons who were involved in logistic taking over and embarcation of disputable rocket systems. They destroyed all evidences about MESIC and MILOSEVIC’S involvment in delivery of arms to IRAQ!

President MESIC in that way escaped cooperation with Americans who started war in IRAQ without proof that Sadam HUSSEIN possesses arms for massive destruction.

Former colleague confided me that MESIC personally led that operation in agreement with Serbian authorities, and in Monte Negro and KHADAFI.

Today, thinking about that events, I’m sorry I made such a decision. I wanted to save the reputation of Croatia and by that prevent the war and innocent victims in IRAQ. Not only I wasn’t successful in it but I helped MESIC to continue with his criminal activities on harm of Croatia… I feel directly responsible that my fellow-citizens, even they don’t know anything about that event, for years are under segregation and disregard of certain European Governments which know everything for several years.

With certain I can claim that deceased President of Croatia, Franjo TUDJMAN, didn’t participate in that events and he was never even informed about it.

Although those years I was regularly and precisely informed about all transports of weapons in region and about positions of enemy units, about that transport I was not warned.

First significant delivery of arms which was received in Kopar a few days after fall of Vukovar, was being late exactly because of prohibition of President who believed in peaceful solution till the very end. The ship on which the shipment was placed was forced, waiting for President’s approval, to circle around for weeks throughout Mediterranean! He approved supply in general but the green light came just after the fall of Vukovar.

He insisted also on sort of arms. He approved only defefensive arms which range didn’t jeopardize neighbour countries. We were able to import the most modern military airplanes, helicopters, artillery and rocket systems of medium range. President were opposing regularly to all suggestions of his advisers of that kind.

In 1994 President approved the negotiations about system S 300 because it was about defensive arms assigned for outruning and destroying lounched enemy rockets. To Croatian citizens is unknown the fact that Serbs in «krajina» possessed mobile (train) rocket systems of medium range which were able to destroy al cities in Croatia in need for liberation offesive of Croatian army. The more difficult fact was that rebeled Serbs in serving that system had direct help from members of UNPROFOR of one European country.

So President TUDJMAN wasn’t informed about anti-state activities of President of Parliament Stjepan MESIC!

The transport of shipment of that kind could be organised by only one man – Josip PERKOVIC and that in cooperation with certain persons from MORH and MUP and port and city autorities of Rijeka!

In light of these events I’m convinced that to all of us will be much easier to recognise persons responsible for organisation of aimed crimes against civilians during the Homeland war. The crime which Croatia turns into genocide country and hundreds of thousands of defenders in war criminals.

When at the beginning of 2000 I was in custody in RIJEKA, by mediation of one prisoner sentenced for 7 years for drugs trade, and whose defender was Mesic’s friend, Silvije DEGEN (who was named in criminal charge, which I gave in France, as a member of criminal organisation), asked for a meeting with me Ferdinand JUKIC whom I didn’t know at that time.
The same prisoner confided me that my case will be solved soon!

He came to visit me one week later, and we had a special honour unlimitedly to talk in special room in prison, without presence of guards! He told me that he was coming in the name of President MESIC and that they asked from me a help in organisation of providing with arms of Serbia and Monte Negro, whose reserves in munition and arms, after military intervention of Americans, dangerously low. MESIC promised to provide them with materials needed for production of munition, rockets and mines. The first delivery would be in amount of 10.000.000 USD.

Because Yugoslavia was under embargo, they turned to me.

The situation in which I was I could not refuse. I said to son to arrange a meeting with them and take the specified order.

The meeting was held in Buzin. With Ferdinand JUKIC were two men who presented themselves as former workers in MUP. One of them had an Serbian accent.

After some thoughts, having in mind all Croatian victims of Homeland war and all evil that was caused to us by Serbs and Montenegrins, considering that my son during the Homeland war was a defender, at the end I have decided not to cooperate in that immoral business and refuse the cooperation with Ferdinand JUKIC and Stjepan MESIC although they promised me release from the prison if I cooperate with them.

Two months later I found out that Ferdinand JUKIC and Stjepan MESIC inspite of my refusal of cooperation anyway finished that job.

Marin TOMULIC

In Paris 16 December 2006

P.S.

On 8th December 2006 my lawyer Ivan Jurasinovic claimed a charge to ICTY-TPI in Den Haag against Stjepan MESIC, Josip PERKOVIC and others for prejury and war crimes done during Homeland war.

Since I , in August last year , got fired in Vjesnik, till now in Croatian media I didn’t manage to get a job. However, two months ago I got a demand for a private project: biography book about Radovan Smokvina, Croat who lives in Switzerland and whistleblower is in area of revealing truth about destiny of money which Croatian emigrants at the beginning of 90-es were putting on account in Villach (Austria) for defense of Croatia. Mr. Smokvina made criminal charges in Austria against at that time chief of Tudjman’s office, who is today only living subscriber of that account. The bank in Villach took off bank secret from that account and Mr. Smokvina got all printouts of the account. In Croatia it is not yet known what was the destiniy of that money – several hundreds of millions in dollars. Parallel to my work on that book, in Zagreb on trial to Hrvoje Petrac, suspect in kidnapping son of his ex friend, Vladimir Zagorec, was opened the question of those accounts and illegal trade of weapons. That question opened Petrac, who himself participated in illegal trade of weapons. He accused his former political partner, Vladimir Zagorec, for peculating huge amounts of money, reserved for buying of weapons, adding that he took 35 millions of euros from account of Austrian bank Bawag. The problem is that Mr. Petrac, who opened the this question, is on trial for kidnapping a child and this story has nothing to do with it. Besides, European union suspected Petrac as a main financial support for General Gotovina’s escape:

In August, Hrvoje Petrac, convicted in absentia for kidnap and implicated in the Gotovina support network, was extradited to Croatia. His retrial started in September. Croatia needs to take advantage of its work under the action plan to better tackle organised crime.

Croatia 2006 Progress Report, COM (2006) 649 final, 08/11/2006

The biggest problem is that President Stjepan Mesic come over to Petrac’s side, interfering in his trial process, demanding that jurisdiction investigate and punish Vladimir Zagorec as a war profiteer. Although to President Mesic all documentation from bank in Villach was delivered, about which Mr. Smokvina has documents, President wasn’t untill Petrac’s accusations against Zagorec, dealing with that case and wasn’t asking for an investigation about imigrants’ money. Meanwhile, a Croat from France, Marin Tomulic (during the war he also was dealing with import of weapons), in French court in Nanntere reported an attempt of assassination on himself. As an assassin he reported Marko Nikolic, a person who is already convicted in Croatia for a mob murder. As an orderer of murder of Marin Tomulic was reported Hrvoje Petrac, and as his political protector was reported Croatian President Stjepan Mesic. About all that I reported on my blog President of Croatia, Stjepan Mesic, in France, criminaly reported for attempt of assassination on Marin Tomulic, and the news were transfered by all media in Croatia: Novi list confirmed the story in 45 lines about French report against Mesic. President Mesic gave a statement about that which was in all media, and said that Marin Tomulic is a world criminal, and when his lawyer Ivan Jurasinovic come to Croatia, should visit madhouse . The lawyer of Marin Tomulic will because of that sue Croatian President in France, but also in Croatia, not only for insult but also for his esse because in Croatia, while it was a part of Yugoslavia, he was sending political opponents in madhouse (similar as in Russia). Since I am dealing with this case, the more intensive control of Croatian secret services is over my comunications.

I remind that I sued Croatia because I was suspected as a state enemy and cooperator of foreign secret services on disinforming of Carla Del Ponte about hiding of Gotovina. I also remind that I in my writings I was claiming that in Gotovina’s hiding, except Hrvoje Petrac, was involved also Croatian President Mesic. Because that I was a target of Croatian secret service.

Journalist suing Croatia for violation of human rights

The trial of a Croatian journalist who is suing the State of Croatia for alleged infringement of his human rights, acts of slander, damage to his reputation and intimidation, commenced on 12 April in Zagreb. Željko Peratović, a former journalist for the state-owned daily Vjesnik, claims he was subject to years of illegal surveillance by Croatia’s counter-intelligence agency POA, violating his right to privacy, freedom of speech and the right to work. He alleges he was then unfairly slandered by the former head of POA, Franjo Turek, in 2003. Mr. Peratović is claiming 800,000 HKN (€100, 800) in compensation.
In a controversial presentation shown to the President in 2003, the head of the POA, Turek, accused Mr. Peratović and five other journalists of endangering Croatia’s national security by collaborating with foreign secret services and diplomats. These accusations were later published in the national daily Večernji list and the political weekly Nacional. Mr. Peratović claims that his dismissal from Vjesnik in 2005 was mainly a result of the allegations against him. He has subsequently been unable to find employment.
Following the March 2005 findings of the Parliamentary Council for the Control of Secret Services, which determined that there were grounds to suspect that the POA had violated the constitutionally guaranteed human rights of the six journalists in question, Mr. Peratović decided to file a law suit. His initial offer of an out-of-court settlement was refused by the State. Lawyers representing the State argue that Croatia is not liable for damages suffered by the plaintiff.
OSCE Mission to Croatia, News in brief, page 3 of 4, 8 May 2006

 

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