President Asked for Documents Against Premier?

The transcript of the conversation between Vladimir Zagorec and Sasa Perkovic confirmed that a deal was offered to Zagorec.

The Zagorec – Perkovic case has dragged on for weeks now and it got a new twist yesterday, with the release of the entire transcipt of the conversation between President Stjepan Mesic’s security advisor Sasa Perkovic and fugitive General Vladimir Zagorec. 

Perkovic: You will get assurances from Bajic 

To clarify, weekly newspaper Hrvatski list, which recently published the document that is a matter of dispute, stating that Prime Minister Ivo Sanader deposited almost 20 tons of gold bars in the British Virgin Islands, reported the conversation in the latest issue. President Mesic still considers the conversation to be a positive and legal act.  

The transcript clearly shows that Sasa Perkovic offered a deal to Vladimir Zagorec a few times, but what is not entirely clear from the conversation is whether chief state prosecutor Mladen Bajic knew about the meeting in question, which took place in Vienna. At one point, when Perkovic asks Zagorec the question “what are your conditions for obtaining the documents,” Zagorec asks him for certain assurances that nothing would happen to him.   

“As far as personal safety is concerned, of course I would have gone with the option for these actions to, first of all, stay secret, you will talk to the state prosecutor at some point… Certain official assurances and everything, you will get from the state prosecutor. He is prepared to come to Austria… But to go to Bajic so that he would come to you, I must first tell you something, and what?... I am the one who will think about the issue at hand a little, in peace,” Perkovic said to Zagorec in the transcript.

Document as security 

“Scrounging” for any kind of document as security that the deal is serious, Mesic’s advisor pointed out that Zagorec’s favour to the state would be returned to him under the principle “Your help for the system.”  

“This means that you will help the system as soon as in that particular moment, already now if you say a few sentences, and the system must meet this, that is how it is. In order for the system to be able to meet [one] halfway, we agreed at the beginning that I must bring some material with me, this time or next time,” said Perkovic.  

In the course of the conversation, Mesic’s advisor pointed out that he was taking on himself “related to the conversation about the possibility of detention during the investigation, the withdrawal of court charges,” so that he would look into it to see what could be done there.  

Zagorec: Mesic must stop the extradition too  

“[Mesic] too must stop the extradition, then we can do a lot,” said Zagorec and this was the end of their conversation. 

However, Zagorec was offered a meeting with chief state prosecutor Mladen Bajic or his deputy Lazo Pajic. Nonetheless, Zagorec insisted on meeting Bajic and made unflattering comments about Lazic.  

On the other hand, judging by some of the things Perkovic said, one could make out that the fugitive General was not the most wanted fugitive. Moreover, Mesic’s advisor called him irrelevant during the conversation. 

“At the beginning of the conversation, I said that I do not see you at all as the only and most important one,” Perkovic told him.  

Perkovic: I would particularly ask for anything you may have on Pasalic 

“Who else are you interested in? Nikica (Valentic, former Prime Minister)?... It can also be Franjo Greguric?... It can also be Sanader? – responded the General. 

“Absolutely,” said Perkovic. 

“It can also be Ivic Pasalic?” asked Zagorec. 

“That I would ask for in particular if it is not a problem,” concluded Mesic’s advisor.