Croatian Ambassador Slams Financial Times Article

The ambassador denounced the title of a text in which the Financial Times described the situation in Croatia, calling it a criminal country.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - In reaction to harsh criticism of Britain’s Financial Times of the situation in Croatia in the wake of the assassination of Croatian journalist Ivo Pukanic and the wave of ‘mafia killings’, in which the renowned newspaper dubbed Croatia a “criminal country”, the Croatian Ambassador to Great Britain, wrote to the editors of the Financial Times, familiarising them with the situation in Croatia.

- The headline of your editorial "Criminal Croatia" (October 25/26), rather surprisingly for a newspaper of such authority and prestige, unjustly and alarmingly brands a whole country criminal. While the content of the editorial balances the awfulness of the events with the resolve of the government to deal with them, the headline calls on readers to make a mental note that somehow Croatia is a criminal place.

I would like to make it clear here that what has happened in the capital Zagreb recently, namely three Mafia-style assassinations, has outraged the country and left it in shock. As you have correctly reported, the government has moved quickly, condemning the events in the strongest possible terms and has pooled all its resources in order to find the perpetrators and eradicate the evil before it gets too strong. No one is more aware than Croatia what is at stake at this stage of its accession negotiations with the European Union.

The sun-kissed holiday destination image of Croatia is as true as it is important. So is Croatia's EU membership. But safety and security of our citizens comes first – Ambassador Paro wrote in his letter to the editors.