Veterans' Affairs Minister Tomo Medved on Thursday rejected claims that the Coordinating Committee for the Homeland Security System was a 'parabody', saying that it was founded in line with the law.
“Yesterday we heard that the Coordinating Committee for the Homeland Security System was referred to as a ‘parabody’. Once again, I note that that body, just like any other, was founded clearly and precisely pursuant to the law,” Medved said in Government House.
He said that the government would adopt a conclusion today entrusting the committee with conducting an analysis of risks and threats, after which the committee would recommend measures to the government, to be presented to and discussed by the National Security Council.
Medved said this would happen in the shortest time possible.
“The law on homeland security entered into force in 2017. I wish to clearly underline that an adviser to the President (Zoran Milanovic) is a member of the Coordinating Committee for Security-Intelligence Services and the Coordinating Committee for the System of Homeland Security. Last week we convened the Coordinating Committee for the Homeland Security System and the president’s advisor was in attendance then,” underlined Medved.
He added that a meeting of the Coordinating Committee for Security-Intelligence Services has been convened for tomorrow and that the President’s advisor has been invited to attend.
Medved added that the National Security Council has the key role in creating security policy.
Call on everyone in public to join fight against radicalisation
Medved underlined that radicalisation in society can be prevented by having everyone in the public sphere contribute to that.
“Through their rhetoric, their approach, programmes, activities.This is a call to everyone to adjust their speech and rhetoric so that it is acceptable and does not contribute to radicalisation and hate speech,” he added.
He called on the media to help find an optimal approach and create relations that are aimed at establishing tolerance and respect and preventing hate speech and further radicalisation in society.
Asked to comment on retired general Pavao Miljavac’s statement that the planting of gas cylinders in the street by war veterans during a protest in 2014 could be characterised as a terrorist act, Medved said that that act was immediately condemned by all veterans.
“The gas cylinders were removed very quickly. That act as well as the veterans’ protest were due to an absolutely unacceptable and inappropriate treatment of war veterans by the then government. As far as General Miljavac’s rhetoric is concerned, this is not the first time his perception of events does not reflect the actual nature of those events. I cannot accept his statement. That protest can in no way be compared to what we have today,” he concluded.
