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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000382 
 
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 19, 2009 
 
¶1.  (SBU) CMC STEEL FORCED TO SHUT DOWN OPERATIONS: 
CMC metals of Sisak, the largest U.S. investment in Croatia 
(see Zagreb 329), has temporarily shut down operations due to 
a lack of orders for its seamless steel pipes.  The company's 
general manager told us he hopes the shut down will be no 
more than two months, but that it could be longer if no new 
orders come in.  During this time, CMC's roughly 1000 
employees will be forced to use their remaining vacation.  As 
vacation days run out, the company will have to resort to 
rolling layoffs, an option the general manager fears will 
lead to friction with the union and bad press.  (DWestfall) 
 
¶2.  (SBU) CROATIA DESTROYS 929 MANPADS: 
In a controlled detonation on June 18 Croatia eliminated the 
last of the 929 MANPADS it agreed to destroy as part of a one 
million dollar USG-funded program for their destruction and 
site security improvements at weapons storage facilities. 
Embassy observers were present at the site for each round of 
destruction.  For the final day of MANPADS destruction, 
General Ostovic from the Logistical Command conducted an 
inspection of the site and made remarks in which he praised 
the excellent cooperation with the Embassy and the USG.  He 
also noted that Croatia was interested in concluding more 
weapons destruction agreements in the future with the USG. 
(PD'Amico) 
 
¶3.  (U) ZAGREB PRIDE PARADE: 
The eighth annual Zagreb Pride Parade once again saw limited 
anti-gay protests.  The annual celebration of gay pride 
gathered an estimated 500-800 participants who are lesbian, 
gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexual or questioning.  The 
group toured the city center to the sound of drums and 
carried flags and banners reading "Zagreb Pride for an open 
city - participate" and "Homophobia is a choice."  Several 
dozen members of the right-wing Croatian Pure Party of Rights 
(HCSP) simultaneously held an anti-gay protest on the main 
square.  Some carried banners reading "Kill the Faggots" and 
"Faggots into Concentration camps."  Gay pride organizers 
considered the anti-gay protest a hate crime and complained 
to the government for allowing it at all.  A large police 
presence recorded the event with video cameras and arrested 5 
anti-gay protesters who tried to break through the line and 
throw beer cans at parade participants.  After the parade, 
two unidentified people followed a 27 year old pride 
supporter to his doorstep where they severely beat him, 
breaking his nose and requiring him to be hospitalized. 
Despite the violence and anti-gay demonstration, Pride 
organizers said they were generally satisfied with the event. 
(MJelenc) 
 
¶4.  (U) SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATES DOMINATE FINAL 
ROUND OF LOCAL ELECTIONS: 
In a third round of local elections in Sibenik, Trogir and a 
handful of other towns (where either balloting irregularities 
or exact ties in the second round required another round of 
voting), candidates from the opposition Social Democratic 
Party (SDP) won several mayor's offices previously held by 
the ruling HDZ or its coalition partners.  In the two largest 
cities contested on June 14, Ante Zupanovic of the SDP was 
named mayor of Sibenik, and Damir Rilje of the SDP took 
charge of Trogir.  These coastal cities had previously been 
fairly reliable bastions of HDZ support.  (PMcCabe) 
 
¶5.  (U) CROATIAN DELEGATION GOES ON USG SPONSORED NATO TOUR: 
A high-level, multi-party delegation of Croatian 
parliamentarians, joined by the Defense Advisor to the 
President of Croatia, visited Brussels and Brunssum on the 
first USG-sponsored NATO tour since Croatia joined the 
Alliance.  The group, accompanied by Embassy personnel, met 
with officials at the NATO headquarters and Joint Forces 
Command Brunssum to hear presentations and exchange views on 
issues such as ISAF, NATO's relations with Russia, the new 
Strategic Concept, and NATO enlargement in South Eastern 
Europe.  The delegation, as representatives of a new member 
state in NATO, found the frank dialog with the speakers very 
useful.  (DMatijas/ZTomic) 
 
¶6. (U) CROATIAN MILITARY HOSTS TRAINING EVENT: 
The Croatian Chief of Defense, General Josip Lucic, hosted a 
training event June 9-11 at Mali Losinj, on the island of 
Losinj, using instructors from the Joint Special Operations 
University at Hurlburt Field, Florida.  Participation of the 
instructors was funded through the U.S. Combating Terrorism 
Fellowship Program.  This Strategic Threat Interdiction 
Symposium was entitled "Special Operations Forces and the 
Future Terrorism Threat" and was attended by about 50 
officers drawn from the commanders of Special Operations 
units in nearby countries (Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 
 
ZAGREB 00000382  002 OF 002 
 
 
Macedonia, Poland, Slovenia, and Serbia) and from the ranks 
of senior Croatian military.  (CDavis) 
 
¶7.  (U) MILITARY EXERCISE PROMOTES COOPERATION BETWEEN NATO 
AND PFP COUNTRIES: 
The bilateral exercise GUARDEX '09 concluded on June 10th 
with a Distinguished Visitors' Day attended by the Adjutant 
General of the Minnesota National Guard, MG Larry Shellito 
and by the Croatian Chief of Defense, General Josip Lucic. 
The exercise, which brought a platoon of Minnesota National 
Guard to Croatia to be inserted into a company of the 
Croatian Army, sought to train, exercise and promote 
interoperability between NATO and PfP countries by using NATO 
standards inside a crisis response scenario.  The exercise 
included live fire training and field training portions.  In 
addition to U.S. and Croatian troops, the PfP partner Austria 
also participated.  (CDavis) 
 
¶8.   (U) WAREHOUSE REDUCTION UNDERWAY: 
Embassy Zagreb has completed its 7902-funded warehouse 
extension, paving the way for the elimination of post's 
commercial warehouse this summer.  Ambassador Bradtke cut the 
ceremonial ribbon in front of a group of Embassy employees 
and the building contractors on Wednesday, June 10.  Combined 
with extensive reductions in stock, a shift to disposable 
welcome kits, and the establishment of a residential 
furniture pool, this will save at least $52,000 annually in 
ICASS costs and reduce warehouse square footage by over 65%. 
(TFavret) 
BRADTKE