Croat president: Politics behind protests

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic has assessed that politics was behind riots that broke out in Zagreb on Saturday. He said that he and the government had done everything for war veteran Tihomir Purda. Croat president: Politics behind protests Josipovic repeated that a right to protest was Croatian citizens’ Constitutional right but he called on them to protest in accordance with the law, Croatian national television HRT reported. Commenting on the demonstrators’ accusations that the authorities did not do enough to help Purda’s case, the president said that both he and the Croatian government had done everything they could and expressed hope that results would be visible soon. The Saturday protest turned violent when 500 to 800 hooligans clashed with police. 58 people were arrested and 33 were injured, including 21 police officers. Ivo Josipovic (Tanjug, file)

Croat president: Politics behind protests

Josipović repeated that a right to protest was Croatian citizens’ Constitutional right but he called on them to protest in accordance with the law, Croatian national television HRT reported.

Commenting on the demonstrators’ accusations that the authorities did not do enough to help Purda’s case, the president said that both he and the Croatian government had done everything they could and expressed hope that results would be visible soon.

The Saturday protest turned violent when 500 to 800 hooligans clashed with police. 58 people were arrested and 33 were injured, including 21 police officers.