Zagreb: Boos, tears, and curses

Generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac’s verdict was greeted by booing by about 2,000 people who gathered at Ban Jelacic Square in downtown Zagreb. The Hague Tribunal sentenced Gotovina to 24 and Markac to 18 years in prison for crimes against Serbs during the operation Storm. General Ivan Cermak was acquitted. Zagreb: Boos, tears, and curses The crowd started whistling and booing after a Hague Tribunal judge delivered a guilty verdict to Gotovina. Many started to cry while others cursed, internet news outlet Index.hr has reported. One of the speakers at the rally, actor Bozidar Alic said: “The war is still going on, we won’t accept it, war criminals are Mesic, Sanader…“ Croatian war-time Interior Minister Ivan Vekic said that he had never expected that he would see Croatia's defeat. “I came because I think the same way you do. I was the first to tell the Serb representatives in parliament 'don't threaten us',“ he pointed out. Vukovar war-time commander Branko Borkovic told Croatian Radio Television (HRT) that people needed to be dignified and peacefully accept the Hague Tribunal's verdict. Croatian citizens upon hearing the verdict (Beta/HINA) Croatian citizens “in shock“ Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights President Zarko Puhovski told B92 that the Croatian citizens were in shock. “The judiciary quite certainly pointed out and asccertained that the responsibility lies with Franjo Tudjman, there's no doubt about that. They relieved the state from responsibility with the formulation about abuse, but they said that high officials had abused power in the country,“ he stressed. “People are shocked for now, big reactions are not visible yet. We'll see how things will look like tomorrow, when a protest rally has been announced. It was announced for today that they will meet and pray for a good outcome, which obviously didn't come. I have to say that it seems to me that today and tomorrow are two special days in Croatian history, when it is possible that democratic institutions will be threatened, but I hope that it is not going to happen,“ Puhovski said. Support for generals across Croatia Posters with pictures of the three generals, Branimir Glavas and Mirko Norac, convicted of war crimes, war crimes suspect Tomislav Mercep and Bosnian Croat leader Dario Kordic could be seen at today's rally in Zagreb. The protesters called former and present Croatian leadership, including President Ivo Josipovic and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and their predecessors Ivo Sanader and Ivica Racan, politicians Vesna Pusic and Vladimir Seks traitors. A large poster in support of Gotovina appeared in the town of Makarska, a banner saying “General, we are waiting for your order“ was put up in the town of Zadar, while Knin war veterans held a wake for the generals on Thursday night.

Zagreb: Boos, tears, and curses

The crowd started whistling and booing after a Hague Tribunal judge delivered a guilty verdict to Gotovina. Many started to cry while others cursed, internet news outlet Index.hr has reported.

One of the speakers at the rally, actor Božidar Alić said: “The war is still going on, we won’t accept it, war criminals are Mesić, Sanader…“

Croatian war-time Interior Minister Ivan Vekić said that he had never expected that he would see Croatia's defeat.

“I came because I think the same way you do. I was the first to tell the Serb representatives in parliament 'don't threaten us',“ he pointed out.

Vukovar war-time commander Branko Borković told Croatian Radio Television (HRT) that people needed to be dignified and peacefully accept the Hague Tribunal's verdict.

Croatian citizens “in shock“

Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights President Žarko Puhovski told B92 that the Croatian citizens were in shock.

“The judiciary quite certainly pointed out and asccertained that the responsibility lies with Franjo Tuđman, there's no doubt about that. They relieved the state from responsibility with the formulation about abuse, but they said that high officials had abused power in the country,“ he stressed.

“People are shocked for now, big reactions are not visible yet. We'll see how things will look like tomorrow, when a protest rally has been announced. It was announced for today that they will meet and pray for a good outcome, which obviously didn't come. I have to say that it seems to me that today and tomorrow are two special days in Croatian history, when it is possible that democratic institutions will be threatened, but I hope that it is not going to happen,“ Puhovski said.

Support for generals across Croatia

Posters with pictures of the three generals, Branimir Glavaš and Mirko Norac, convicted of war crimes, war crimes suspect Tomislav Merčep and Bosnian Croat leader Dario Kordić could be seen at today's rally in Zagreb.

The protesters called former and present Croatian leadership, including President Ivo Josipović and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and their predecessors Ivo Sanader and Ivica Račan, politicians Vesna Pusić and Vladimir Šeks traitors.

A large poster in support of Gotovina appeared in the town of Makarska, a banner saying “General, we are waiting for your order“ was put up in the town of Zadar, while Knin war veterans held a wake for the generals on Thursday night.