ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - JUNE 26, 2008

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000481

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SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - JUNE 26, 2008


1. (U) FIVE OF CROATIA'S TOP TEN JUDGES ARE USG-TRAINED:
Croatia's biggest newsweekly "Globus" highlighted in this
week's issue the country's ten most respected judges --
individuals who have advanced the rule of law in Croatia by
making groundbreaking rulings against war criminals,
organized criminals, and violent criminals. The top five
judges listed are all good Embassy contacts who received
training through the INL-funded War Crimes Capacity Project.
The project, now completed, was designed to improve the
capacity of the judicial system to fairly try war crimes,
including those transferred from the ICTY. The major program
element was training for judges, prosecutors, police, and
defense attorneys focused on witness protection, right to a
fair trial, complex case management, and prosecuting and
defending war crimes cases (including command
responsibility). Several of the judges were highlighted
for returning tough, and sometimes unpopular, verdicts
against war criminals. (KSelinger)


2. (U) CROATIA STRENGTHENS COUNTERPROLIFERATION COMMITMENT:
On 20 June 2008 members from the U.S. Department of Energy's
Second Line of Defense (SLD) program met with
GOC representatives to discuss potential counterproliferation
cooperation. The SLD team outlined a
tentative plan to provide Croatia both equipment and training
to strengthen its ability to deter, detect,
and interdict nuclear and radiological material entering and
transiting the country. The plan would
potentially provide fixed portal monitors, handheld
radioisotopic identifiers and meters, and on-site alarm
stations at 5 to 10 land, rail and sea border crossings.
Croatia currently maintains portal monitoring
equipment only at its "Bregana" border crossing with
Slovenia. GOC representatives from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and European Integration, State Office for
Nuclear Safety, State Office for Radiation
Protection, Border Police and Customs enthusiastically
accepted SLD's proposal. All parties will work to
sign a Memorandum of Understanding over the coming months
with site surveys and installation of equipment
likely to begin in FY09. Croatia's meeting with SLD comes on
the heels of Croatian Vice President Jadranka
Kosor's 05 June 2008 signing into law of a government
decision implementing UNSC Resolution 1803. This law
closely follows the language of the resolution and
specifically mentions 18 individuals associated with
Iran's nuclear weapons program, forbidding their travel to or
through the Republic of Croatia. The decision
places similar restrictions on the transport of equipment and
technology associated with Iran's weapons
program. (CRhoton)


3. (U) DECLINING REVENUES FORCE CLOSURE OF SATIRICAL
NEWSWEEKLY FERAL TRIBUNE:
The satirical political weekly newspaper "Feral Tribune"
published its final issue on Friday, June 20. The paper had
been in serious financial difficulty for some time. During
the 1990's, Feral Tribune received acclaim for its courageous
and sometimes outrageous reporting on politically sensitive
issues, despite repeatedly being sued for slander. In its
final issue, the editorial board vowed to reinstate the
paper, blaming advertisers for not supporting the
controversial publication. In our view, however, the paper
had been unable to keep pace with the times. Both the
quality and relevance of its reporting had declined, with
circulation diminishing accordingly. (KWetzel)
Bradtke