Croatia spent millions for defense of generals

Croatia has given at least EUR 23mn for the defense expenses of Croatia generals indicted by the Hague Tribunal, daily Jutarnji List writes. The state financed the defense of generals such as Tihomir Blaskic, who went to The Hague in 1996, as well as Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak, Mladen Markac. Croatia spent millions for defense of generals The daily writes that the bills to the defense lawyerswere paid from the state budget, by way of the Justice Ministry. Minister Ivan Simonovic said that the money is transferred through the account of the ministry, while the decision on this funding is made by the government council for cooperation with the Tribunal, which is headed by Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor. When Cermak and Markac surrendered in 2004, the government signed an agreement with their lawyers, according to which they were being paid EUR 10,000 monthly when they were in Zagreb and EUR 20,000 when they were in The Hague. The government of Ivo Sanader signed an agreement with Gotovina’s lawyer in 2006, which paid him USD 20,000 a month. Based on these statistics, the daily reached the conclusion that about EUR 4mn was paid to these lawyers from 2004 to today, with the exception of General Cermak, who was paying his own legal bills. (FoNet archive)

Croatia spent millions for defense of generals

The daily writes that the bills to the defense lawyerswere paid from the state budget, by way of the Justice Ministry.

Minister Ivan Šimonović said that the money is transferred through the account of the ministry, while the decision on this funding is made by the government council for cooperation with the Tribunal, which is headed by Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.

When Čermak and Markač surrendered in 2004, the government signed an agreement with their lawyers, according to which they were being paid EUR 10,000 monthly when they were in Zagreb and EUR 20,000 when they were in The Hague.

The government of Ivo Sanader signed an agreement with Gotovina’s lawyer in 2006, which paid him USD 20,000 a month.

Based on these statistics, the daily reached the conclusion that about EUR 4mn was paid to these lawyers from 2004 to today, with the exception of General Čermak, who was paying his own legal bills.