(Not So) Different Story

The names of characters and the setting are different, but the plot in both stories seems to be the same.

Until few days Sanader’s government was repeating official mantra about not having a clue where General Ante Gotovina was and where they could find him. Now, after Ollie Rehn’s statements about Croatia not doing enough to secure beginning of EU accession negotiations in March, Croatian media have begun to contradict official mantra. In its latest issue Globus weekly has reported about efforts of Sanader’s government to secure Gotovina’s voluntary surrender through Jure Kapetanović (Jure Kapetanovic), veteran air traffic official and Gotovina’s old friend, now employed in Brussels. According to various media stories, Kapetanović has met with Gotovina in West Herzegovina town of Čapljina (Capljina) and tried to negotiate the deal, but his efforts ultimately failed.

It is almost certain that the reports about those activities reached Brussels and were later used as for ammunition in diplomatic skirmishes before the start of EU negotiations. What is not certain is whether Croatian government used those failed negotiations as a proof they are “doing everything in its power” to secure Gotovina’s arrival in Hague or whether some EU officials used them as a proof that Croatian authorities know more about Gotovina’s whereabouts that they were ready to admit. Some say that Miomir Žužul (Miomir Zuzul), Croatian foreign minister who had recently tendered his resignation, was responsible for the affair – he allegedly slipped the information about upcoming voluntary surrender of Gotovina to his EU counterparts. Others point blame at Kapetanović, who informed Brussels about the talks with Gotovina in order to cover his own position.