Politicians Should Do Something for Gen. Gotovina

Politicians are afraid of the name Ante Gotovina, even though they enjoy the luxuries that he and other veterans offered, says Ljilja Vokic.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - The controversial film by the American director of Croatian heritage, Jack Barica, called “U potrazi za Olujom” (Searching for the Storm), which alludes to the Croatian military and police liberation operation “Storm”. The story is about the Croatian general Ante Gotovina and his fate, which attracted many political and names from the 1990s to the Zagreb Dox film festival. All those present wanted to see the first film about the Croatian general, who according to many, ended up in the Hague prison unfairly. The said that it is nearly shameful that no Croatian director has made a film about the general who via operation “Storm” brought de facto freedom to Croatia in the Croatian War of Independence. They also condemned the actions of the Croatian authorities towards Gotovina. None of the Croatian politicians came to watch the premiere of that documentary.

“Gotovina should not be where he is”

“I came to see a documentary that interests me” said Ankica Tudjman, the wife of the first Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, who came to the premiere accompanied by her daughter Nevenka, and her daughter’s bridesmaid Marijana Piric.

As usual, Ankica Tudjman was not too approachable for the media, and reluctantly answered questions from journalists. When asked what she expected from the verdict for general Gotovina, she briefly said:

“Do not ask me what I expect from the verdict, ask the politicians who should do something and who know what to expect”.

“I know that general Gotovina should not be where he is” she concluded at the end.

On the other hand, the former Zagreb parliamentarian from the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) and the HB (Croatian Bloc) Tomislav Jelic, was much stronger in his criticism.

Jelic: Foreigners are lecturing us again

“I expect from the film what the Croatian authorities have not done until now, and that is to promote the values that Gotovina lived and fought for” he said.

When asked to comment the fact that no Croatian directors have recoded a film on that topic, Jelic stresses that “luckily there are Croatians spread out all over the world, that care about their homeland and the ideals that it was created on”.

“It is obvious that a foreigner was needed to record a film on Gotovina. We were capable of winning the Croatian War of Independence, but we are not capable of making one good movie about the Croatian War of Independence and heroes. Unfortunately, foreigners have lectured us again” stressed Jelic.

The former Minister of Education and current head of Zagreb’s VII high school, Ljilja Vokic, also expected the truth from the film. She came to the premiere accompanied by Djurdje Susak, the wife of the deceased Minister of Defence, Gojko Susak. However, Djurdja Susak was not in the mood for any conversation.

Some rule and distribute, others are in prison

“I expect the truth, a man who lives outside could certainly view things more objectively, is not obsessed with our past or fear before the Hague Tribunal, so I simply expect that he showed the truth” she said.

She considers that Croatian directors, as well as many others, did not get to work on this project for one reason, and that is that people are afraid to give their opinion, to raise their voice so that they will not be punished.

“This is a question for our directors and all of those who could make a film, but I believe that a foreigner, regardless of their heritage, has a greater possibility to penetrate the pores of our society, than unfortunately, one of our people” said the former minister.

When asked to comment the behaviour of the cabinet and politics towards the Ante Gotovina case, Vokic said that, according to her opinion, many are afraid of that name.

“I think that they are afraid of the name Ante Gotovina even though they enjoy the blessings that he created for them. I do not mean only him, but all who participated in the Croatian War of Independence, and today when you look objectively, they (politicians) rule, distribute, sell, and he is in prison like others who were in some way marked unnecessarily” said Ljilja Vokic.