Croatian presidential candidate on conditions for Serbia

Croatian presidential candidate on conditions for Serbia

ZAGREB -- A Croatian presidential candidate has said that she would condition Serbia's EU membership path "with the return of the missing persons from the (1990s) war."

Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic of the right-wing HDZ party said this was because of her stance in favor of minority rights in Croatia, and added, "I will ask the same, which is now not respected, from Serbia."

Grabar Kitarovic made the statement during a televised debate with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, who is running against her in the presidential election second round.

"No neighbor of ours, including Serbia, can go to the EU unless they take the same road that we have," said Josipovic.

They also spoke about former Croatian President and HDZ leader Franjo Tudjman, former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito, and former Croatian General Ante Gotovina, who was indicted for war crimes by the Hague Tribunal, arrested in Spain where he was hiding, and later acquitted.

"I think that Gotovina is a hero, but should have proved his innocence in the court. I think a mistake was made when he was advised to leave Croatia before he read the indictment," said Grabar Kitarovic.

Josipovic said that Gotovina's arrest was legally and politically necessary, and that neither he nor Gotovina blame anyone who took part in that procedure.

"Tudjman's reconciliation project was a good idea. Reconciliation is always a good thing. If he stood for that today Tudjman would be expelled from the HDZ," Josipovic noted.

His presidential race opponent responded by saying that "it was needed at that time, and it is a part of Tudjman's legacy."

Grabar Kitarovic also said it is up to the...