VZCZCXRO4895
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVB #0481 1791151
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271151Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8432
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000481 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA 
OSD FOR POPOVICH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV HR
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