Socialist Workers´ Party of Croatia
10000 Zagreb, Palmoticeva 70/II, Croatia
tel/fax: + 385 (0)1 48 39 958 e-mail: srp@...
The Socialist Workers' Party of Croatia has been the only political
party in Croatia that has resisted our country's joining NATO , as well
as all the other military alliances. During the so-
called "humanitarian" bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, we
warned about the consequences of the attacks. We were the lone voice to
speak out about the fact that many people experience great suffering,
either directly, or indirectly in the name of "principles and values"
regardless of their political views. We warned, furthermore, of the
fact that NATO destroyed a great number of housing plants, industrial
plants, bridges and other parts of the infrastructure, as well, of
course, as of the very negative effects of the bombings on the
environment.
Just as we, in Croatia, have begun to recover from the "crusades of the
20th century at the end of the millennium, new consequences of the
attack are being disclosed. While we are listening in for the cases of
the Italian soldiers who were taking part in the attack on FR
Yugoslavia and in whose cases radiation sickness caused by
the "depleted uranium" was ascertained, the criticising of NATO is
becoming a matter of an increasing current interest even in Croatia.
And yet, in disregard of that, the aim of becoming member of NATO is
still being emphasised as one of the "strategic" interests of Croatia.
We ourselves - the members of the Socialist Workers´ Party of Croatia -
are taking this occasion to shatter the illusions of the public and to
make a clear statement to the public about what the status of being a
member of NATO would really mean for Croatia :
To become a part of NATO would cause a drop of the number of 60000
currently personnel in our army service to 25000 - 20000 and yet it
would not mean that the state budget for the army would decrease. On
the contrary, it would increase dramatically due to modernisation of
existing weapons and purveyance of new weapons to adapt and,
ultimately, to achieve NATO standards. It would furthermore, be
mandatory for Croatia, as a NATO member, to send its soldiers to
military actions where they could be killed, wounded or even exposed to
radiation sickness as were the Italian soldiers. Naturally, one must
forcefully ask this question:
Hasn´t this war been enough to you? Haven´ t we had enough people die?
Should we have more people die in the name of "defense" of who knows
whose interests and who knows where?
Military alliances and arbiters from abroad cannot bring prosperity and
human welfare to nations and states in our part of Europe and in the
entire globe. Only the processes of demilitarisation and
neighbourliness can bring us these things. Because of what we believe,
the Socialist Workersa Party of Croatia demands that a public
referendum be held to decide whether Croatia shall apply for membership
in NATO. Furthermore, we consider it absolutely imperative that we
begin the process of demilitarisation. Expenditures for defense are
currently 70% of the GDP! If we implement demilitarisation these huge
expenditures would of course decrease tremendously and, this would help
greatly the way for the economical and consequenly any other form of
betterment of Croatia.
http://www.srp.hr/eanto.htm
10000 Zagreb, Palmoticeva 70/II, Croatia
tel/fax: + 385 (0)1 48 39 958 e-mail: srp@...
The Socialist Workers' Party of Croatia has been the only political
party in Croatia that has resisted our country's joining NATO , as well
as all the other military alliances. During the so-
called "humanitarian" bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, we
warned about the consequences of the attacks. We were the lone voice to
speak out about the fact that many people experience great suffering,
either directly, or indirectly in the name of "principles and values"
regardless of their political views. We warned, furthermore, of the
fact that NATO destroyed a great number of housing plants, industrial
plants, bridges and other parts of the infrastructure, as well, of
course, as of the very negative effects of the bombings on the
environment.
Just as we, in Croatia, have begun to recover from the "crusades of the
20th century at the end of the millennium, new consequences of the
attack are being disclosed. While we are listening in for the cases of
the Italian soldiers who were taking part in the attack on FR
Yugoslavia and in whose cases radiation sickness caused by
the "depleted uranium" was ascertained, the criticising of NATO is
becoming a matter of an increasing current interest even in Croatia.
And yet, in disregard of that, the aim of becoming member of NATO is
still being emphasised as one of the "strategic" interests of Croatia.
We ourselves - the members of the Socialist Workers´ Party of Croatia -
are taking this occasion to shatter the illusions of the public and to
make a clear statement to the public about what the status of being a
member of NATO would really mean for Croatia :
To become a part of NATO would cause a drop of the number of 60000
currently personnel in our army service to 25000 - 20000 and yet it
would not mean that the state budget for the army would decrease. On
the contrary, it would increase dramatically due to modernisation of
existing weapons and purveyance of new weapons to adapt and,
ultimately, to achieve NATO standards. It would furthermore, be
mandatory for Croatia, as a NATO member, to send its soldiers to
military actions where they could be killed, wounded or even exposed to
radiation sickness as were the Italian soldiers. Naturally, one must
forcefully ask this question:
Hasn´t this war been enough to you? Haven´ t we had enough people die?
Should we have more people die in the name of "defense" of who knows
whose interests and who knows where?
Military alliances and arbiters from abroad cannot bring prosperity and
human welfare to nations and states in our part of Europe and in the
entire globe. Only the processes of demilitarisation and
neighbourliness can bring us these things. Because of what we believe,
the Socialist Workersa Party of Croatia demands that a public
referendum be held to decide whether Croatia shall apply for membership
in NATO. Furthermore, we consider it absolutely imperative that we
begin the process of demilitarisation. Expenditures for defense are
currently 70% of the GDP! If we implement demilitarisation these huge
expenditures would of course decrease tremendously and, this would help
greatly the way for the economical and consequenly any other form of
betterment of Croatia.
http://www.srp.hr/eanto.htm