PHOTO: Hrvoje Petrac First Witness Against Zagorec

Retired Croatian general Vladimir Zagorec pleaded not guilty to the charges of abuse of position and authorities.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Retired Croatian general Vladimir Zagorec pleaded not guilty to the charges of abuse of position and authorities, because he took a bag with jewels from the Croatian Defence Ministry safe while leaving his post in 2000.

The prosecution proposed witnesses Terezija Barbaric, Snjezans Siprak, Miroslav Tudjman and Hrvoje Petrac.

Furthermore, the prosecution requested the testimony of German arms trader Josef Rothaichner, from whom Zagorec took over the jewels, as the minister`s assistant authorised to purchase armament, in September 1993, according to the indictment . The jewells were guarantee for 5 million US dollars the ministry paid to Rotaichner for supplying weapons used to defend Croatia.

The defence proposed witnesses Bozo Prka, with which the prosecution disagreed, along with Drazen Jakopec, Martin Katicic and Markica Rebic.

The court accepted all witnesses and the continuation of the trial was scheduled for December 8, when witness for the prosecution, Hrvoje Petrac, will testify.

Austria extradited Zagorec to Croatia over the “jewells scandal” at the start of October. He has been in detention in Zagreb since.

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