War veterans who had been on hunger strike in Zagreb's main square Trg Bana Jelacica over the guilty verdict by the Hague war crimes tribunal against Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac, ended their protest action on Thursday after 31 days without food.
"That was the wish of General Gotovina, who sent a message through his wife and his close friend Zeljko Dilber asking the men to return to their homes," one of the veterans, Miro Moro, told press.
He said that the termination of the strike was not the result of political influence, because the veterans were prepared to continue the strike indefinitely, but that they ended the strike at the express wish of General Gotovina.
About 15 veterans went on hunger strike 31 days ago, some of whom had experienced health problems, and the last five ended their protest today. Their action was directed at the government to suspend cooperation with the Hague tribunal, withdraw the EU membership application, abolish the general amnesty for what they claimed were 20,000 proven Serb terrorists, obtain a release from foreign and domestic prisons for Croatian generals and soldiers, and give priority to the interests of the Croatian state and the Croatian people.
