GLAVAS: PARLIAMENT LIFTS IMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000588

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DICARLO; EUR/SCE ENGLISH, BELL;
S/WCI-HODGKINSON; L/EUR JOHNSON; INR MORIN
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NSC BRAUN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2016
TAGS: PGOV KAWC HR WAR CRIMES
SUBJECT: GLAVAS: PARLIAMENT LIFTS IMMUNITY

REF: A. ZAGREB 560


B. ZAGREB 233

C. ZAGREB 01

D. 05 ZAGREB 1254

E. 05 ZAGREB 827

Classified By: Political Officer Tom Selinger for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
.


1. (U) Parliament voted on May 10 by an overwhelming majority
to strip Osijek strongman Branimir Glavas of his immunity
from criminal prosecution as a member of parliament. This
opens the door for Chief State Prosecutor Mladen Bajic to
pursue an indictment against him on charges of war crimes
against ethnic Serb civilians in 1991 (reftels).


2. (U) After earlier threatening to "tell all" in front of
the Parliament and expose Speaker Vladimir Seks as
responsible for the crimes in Osijek, Glavas gave a rather
ineffective speech in his own defense. Ever defiant, he said
he had nothing to do with the crimes and claimed the motives
of the investigation against him are purely political,
comparing it to persecution under former Yugoslav dictator
Josip Broz Tito. At the same time he claimed the chain of
command for the murders in Osijek leads to Seks and not to
him, but offered nothing to back up this spurious allegation.



3. (C) COMMENT: Once Glavas is indicted, a process which
could take a week, another Parliamentary vote may be
necessary to actually arrest him. There is very little
chance Glavas would attempt to flee justice, but witnesses
against him will breathe easier once he is in custody. Once
the case reaches trial, Bajic plans to seek a change of venue
from Osijek to Zagreb to help prevent witness intimidation.
END COMMENT.
FRANK