Whole Of Croatia Is Against Me, President Too

The jewels theory was not fabricated by Petrac, but someone sneakier, perhaps attorney Ante Nobilo, Zagorec said.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – As he stated his defence at the trial for the “jewels scandal” retired Croatian general Vladimir Zagorec reiterated that he did not abuse his power and could not manage the budget in any way. Also, he added, the state top decided on the purchase of arms, to be precise, the close government cabinet with late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, as the chief commander.

- I could not even buy food, let alone weapons. I could have ordered everything, but the Croatian Finance Ministry paid for everything that went to the Croatian Defence Ministry (MORH), according to orders of Gojko Susak – Zagorec said, adding that his former secretary of the Defence Ministry Snjezana Siprak lied when she said she only had to call the PBZ and get funds.

“Nothing found in Sime Krasic`s revision”

As evidence that he had no authority over money, Zagorec mentioned the transcripts from the Brijuni islands concerning the Croatian military and police liberational “Storm” operation. According to him, president Tudjman asked him how much weapons he had and in what time, to which Zagorec replied that he had no weapons and that he needed to pay for it. The armament was purchased from abroad via a mediator. Tudjman ordered Valentic to pay. Furthermore, the retired general added, as he was leaving his duty at the defence ministry, state reviser Sima Krasic conducted the revision and found nothing.

I knew nobody would believe me that Zagorec`s jewels were in these boxes if I published only photos, so I managed to persuade my source into handing them over to me. I also persuaded that person to tell me where they got it from, but they said if they revealed that piece of information, they would lose their head, as Zagorec would soon find out who gave the boxes to that person.

Ivo Pukanic

- I`m just a little mouse and the entire country is against me, headed by [Croatian President Stjepan] Mesic – Zagorec said.

He denied all witnesses, especially former secretary Siprak.

- Do you honestly think that a secretary has so many authorisations next to the army – Zagorec said, adding that this was all a construction of someone who wants to make him look like Ali Baba and the forty thieves.

- Neither Snjezana Siprak nor Hrvoje Petrac thought of this jewels theory, but someone sneakier. Perhaps attorney Ante Nobilo, I don`t know. But, please, why didn`t Siprak say I took a bag full of money… Furthermore, who would give us jewels when we owed everyone money – Zagorec said.

Zagorec is charged with stealing a bag containing jewels from a safe in his office while he was leaving duty in 2000 as assistant to defence minister. The bag with jewels was left by German arms trader as a deposit for the money intended for the armament of Croatia. The trial began at the end of 2008, when the retired general was extradited to Croatia from Austria.

After the hearing on Monday, Zagorec`s attorney Zvonimir Hodak told reporters that his client was faced with another case of blackmail. According to him, he received a phone call from a man who claimed he had photos, i.e. evidence that Zagorec did not take the jewels, to be precise, that he has never seen them. The unidentified man wanted 3 million euros for this evidence, while Hodak notified the police about everything.

Vladimir Zagorec to Present Defence Today