Gotovina Declared Honorary Citizen Of Zadar

Tomorrow, in a solemn ceremony, general's new house in Pakostani will get a roof

by F. SARIC

Vecernji List, Zagreb, Croatia, November 23, 2001

Yesterday, with 14 votes in favor, out of 27 councilors in the Zadar local council, with votes of the HDZ and independent councilor Renata Peros, the local council declared retired General Ante Gotovina honorary citizen of Zadar. The SDP, HNS and the councilors from the independent list of Stanislav Antic abstained. Independent councilor Ante Bozulic said that Gotovina was a true hero, while Omerka Saric from the SDP emphasized that it was bad that Croatia hasn't established an official honor or decoration for heroes of the Homeland War. Namely, if such honor existed, there is no doubt that Ante Gotovina would receive it. She also said that the declaration does not actually help General Gotovina, but that it does harm Croatia and Zadar. Saric suggested that this declaration be postponed until it is proven that General Ante Gotovina is innocent.

Zivko Kolega from the HDZ said that General Gotovina will be proud of this decision by the council and that the decision is an indicator of what the martyr city thinks about the decision made by the Hague Tribunal. Damir Mislov from the HNS and Omerka Saric form the SDP demanded that the text of the decision indicate that the former authorities voted for the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, instead of, as the decision actually said, that the current authorities and the Hague Tribunal are persecuting the heroes of the Homeland War. A special session of the Zadar city council will be held tomorrow, and Davor Aras, the president of the city council has said that Ante Gotovina will receive the title of honorary citizen when the conditions permit - when he is able to receive it.

Tomorrow in Pakostane, where Ante Gotovina is also a honorary citizen, friends, fellow fighters, and residents from all over the Zadar county will raise the roof on the new Gotovina's house, which has been built for several months in Pakostane.

"Given all of his accomplishments, the municipality gave the plot for free, and friends and war veterans are building a house for him. The construction should be completed the next spring. I don't know whether General Gotovina will attend the ceremony tomorrow," Milivoj Kurtov, head of the Pakostane municipality, said.

Pakostane: Construction of Mansion for the family of a Hague indictee near completion

120 Persons Raised Roof On General Gotovina's House

Dunja Gotovina prepared six lambs for volunteer workers

by R. BOGELJIC

Vecernji List, Zagreb, Croatia, November 25, 2001

Yesterday, about 120 persons raised and completed the roof on the house of retired General Ante Gotovina. These volunteers donated their work and thereby expressed support for the general indicted by the Hague War Crimes Tribunal. The roof was completed before the sunset. Participants included generals Ivan Kapular, Miljenko Filipovic, Kresimir Cosic, and Ljubo Cesic Rojs, chair of Sinj Knightly Society Ante Kotromanic, and mayor of Pakostane Milivoj Kurtov. Kurtov stated that he would assist General Gotovina in flight, if he requested, and that he would defend him with arms, together with other residents of Pakostane, if necessary. However, yesterday, responding to the question whether the general, whose current abode is not known, would appear at the ceremony, Kurtov said that that was quite possible.

Vecernji List team arrived to the construction site of the mansion being built next to the seashore close to the Pakostane Club "Mediterane" yesterday, just after Dunja Gotovina, general's wife and mother of Ante Gotovina junior, had brought food and refreshments for the volunteers.

"We've had many more volunteers than expected, so I had to go get more bread. We've organized everything for about 20 workers. Instead, 80 persons came from Pakostane, Draga, Vrana, Imotski, and Sinj. I'd like to thank all of them for their support. It is a nice day, even though they forecast inclement weather," Dunja Gotovina said. To the question about her husband, she said that she feels as if trapped in a bad cartoon. She cannot wake up because the cartoon has become reality. She concluded that everything is liable to change, so that the changes that took place after January 3 may be reversed, and that she is optimistic.

"My husband is forced to hide in his own state, but we feel all of this as some sort of a trial, catharsis. I will not pick up his decoration in Zadar, because I am not a widow, my husband is alive and he will pick up the honor himself," Dunja Gotovina said.(...)

Translated on May 23, 2002