"Besides moral issues, there are also political and legal issues. As far as moral issues are concerned, the citizens are overwhelmingly convinced that General Bobetko did not kill anyone, did not order anyone's murder, nor did he as a commander of the Croatian Army aim to ethnically cleanse and expel Serbs. On the contrary, his task was to liberate occupied territory of Croatia. In that sense, for moral reasons, all of us involved in the decision, either in the Government or the Parliament, must follow our conscience. If we act like ethical persons, no interest could make us vote for sending an elderly man, in whose innocence and overwhelming achievements for Croatia we are convinced, to prove his innocence in the Hague. The moral component is most important for me, and I always, in similar situations in my life, followed my conscience and I will do the same on this occasion, but I cannot speak for others," Tomac said. He added that as far as the political level of the problem is concerned, he is not surprised because for years now we have witnessed a policy, in which the prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal also participates, which in various ways attempts to transform the aggression and war against Croatia and the attempt to create Greater Serbia into a conflict in which everyone is guilty, some more, some less.
"Now the trial of Milosevic for crimes in Croatia is starting and someone is attempting to strike a balance by indicting someone from the Croatian state leadership, and since Tudman and Susak are not alive... I cannot accept that. Last year your newspaper published, after the indictment of General Gotovina, my letter to Carla Del Ponte. However, although she did promise to respond to my letter, she hasn't done it in these 13 months. That situation is clear and we must be firm and united," Tomac stressed, adding that, as far as the legal aspect is concerned, as a UN member we have certain obligations.
"We must be crafty and must avoid conflict if it is possible to resolve the problem through legal means. After studying the indictment I am convinced that it is a political indictment and it also violates our Constitution because it attempts to indict a soldier for doing what the Constitution orders him to do when the country is occupied. It is good that the opposition and the authorities, and the overwhelming majority of the population, support that all legal means be used," Tomac believes. He also believes that Croatia cannot change the policy of great powers, but it must know how to defend its interests.
"I think that all threats with sanctions will fail because our people did not cower ten years ago when it was necessary to fight a war and create independent Croatia in spite of the world public opinion at the time that we did not have the right to our own independent state. Perhaps this may be a moment of crystallization [sic] in Croatia when after a sort of an apathy and loss of faith in our state and our capabilities we achieve something that turns the situation in our favor," Tomac concluded.