Tomislav Merčep
Encyclopedia
Tomislav Merčep is a former Croatia
n politician and paramilitary during the Croatian War of Independence
.
A native of Vukovar
, Merčep worked as an engineer before joining the Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) in 1990. He then entered the local city government as the Secretary of People's Defense , where he exerted considerable power in the local police and business, esp. in preparation for the impending war.
During the war, he engaged in paramilitary activities which were subsequently investigated by the Hague tribunal and covered by the (now defunct) Croatian newspaper Feral Tribune
.
At the turn of 1991, several properties owned by ethnic Serbs were blown up in Vukovar, and it was widely speculated that Merčep was behind this. In 1997 Feral Tribune
released a document which confirmed exchanges of large quantities of explosive materials in September 1990 between Merčep and Branimir Glavaš
. In August 1991, Merčep was briefly arrested by Croatian authorities and detained on undisclosed charges, but was soon released and moved to Zagreb
together with his family, a week before the Battle of Vukovar
started.
Merčep later became an officer in the Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs and he participated in the other fronts of the Croatian War of Independence
, being in command of thousands of paramilitaries which were responsible for killing and expelling thousands of ethnic Serbs from areas in and around Gospić
, among other places (notably the Murder of the Zec family
in Zagreb). A decade later, five members of his unit, Munib Suljić, Igor Mikola, Siniša Rimac, Miro Bajramović and Branko Šarić, were indicted on several criminal charges related to the so-called "Pakračka poljana" case, involving the killing of prisoners, mostly ethnic Serbs, in a field near Pakrac
, and later convicted. Tomislav Merčep himself was not indicted in these proceedings.
Merčep became a HDZ member of the Chamber of Counties of Croatian Parliament in 1993.
In 1995, he became the leader of the "Association of Croatian Volunteer Veterans of the Patriotic War" . he remains at the head of that association.
In late 1990s he quit the HDZ and instead founded his own party, the Croatian Popular Party
(Hrvatska pučka stranka, HPS). In 2000 he ran as a HPS candidate on 2000 presidential elections
, where he received 0.85% of the vote and was eliminated in the first round.
In 2003, the Croatian weekly Nacional
reported that the ICTY was "completing an indictment against Tomislav Merčep", after having talked to Franjo Gregurić
, Mladen Markač
, Hrvoje Šarinić
and others. There were media reports in 2006 that an indictment against Merčep himself, based on ICTY investigations, was forthcoming in the Croatian legal system. In December 2010, Amnesty International
stated Merčep should be prosecuted based on a series of public testimonies about crimes committed by his subordinates. In the same week, the County Prosecutor in Zagreb brought up charges against Merčep and he was arrested.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n politician and paramilitary during the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
.
A native of Vukovar
Vukovar
Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river and the Danube. Vukovar is the center of the Vukovar-Syrmia County...
, Merčep worked as an engineer before joining the Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
(HDZ) in 1990. He then entered the local city government as the Secretary of People's Defense , where he exerted considerable power in the local police and business, esp. in preparation for the impending war.
During the war, he engaged in paramilitary activities which were subsequently investigated by the Hague tribunal and covered by the (now defunct) Croatian newspaper Feral Tribune
Feral Tribune
Feral Tribune was a Croatian political weekly magazine. Based in Split, it first started as a political satire supplement in Nedjeljna Dalmacija before evolving into an independent satirical weekly paper in 1993...
.
At the turn of 1991, several properties owned by ethnic Serbs were blown up in Vukovar, and it was widely speculated that Merčep was behind this. In 1997 Feral Tribune
Feral Tribune
Feral Tribune was a Croatian political weekly magazine. Based in Split, it first started as a political satire supplement in Nedjeljna Dalmacija before evolving into an independent satirical weekly paper in 1993...
released a document which confirmed exchanges of large quantities of explosive materials in September 1990 between Merčep and Branimir Glavaš
Branimir Glavaš
Branimir Glavaš is a controversial Croatian right-wing politician and a convicted war criminal.Glavaš came to prominence in his home city of Osijek during the Croatian war of independence, when he led its defense and became a major general in the Croatian Army...
. In August 1991, Merčep was briefly arrested by Croatian authorities and detained on undisclosed charges, but was soon released and moved to Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
together with his family, a week before the Battle of Vukovar
Battle of Vukovar
The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of Vukovar in eastern Croatia by the Yugoslav People's Army , supported by various paramilitary forces from Serbia, between August and November 1991. Before the Croatian War of Independence the Baroque town was a prosperous, mixed community of Croats,...
started.
Merčep later became an officer in the Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs and he participated in the other fronts of the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, being in command of thousands of paramilitaries which were responsible for killing and expelling thousands of ethnic Serbs from areas in and around Gospić
Gospic
Gospić is a town in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of Lika, Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Lika-Senj county. Gospić is located near the Lika River in the middle of a karst field....
, among other places (notably the Murder of the Zec family
Murder of the Zec family
The murder of the Zec family occurred in Zagreb, Croatia on December 7, 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, when the squad of five Croatian militiamen with government support shot dead three members of an ethnic Serb Zec family: the father Mihajlo Zec, his wife Marija and their...
in Zagreb). A decade later, five members of his unit, Munib Suljić, Igor Mikola, Siniša Rimac, Miro Bajramović and Branko Šarić, were indicted on several criminal charges related to the so-called "Pakračka poljana" case, involving the killing of prisoners, mostly ethnic Serbs, in a field near Pakrac
Pakrac
Pakrac is a town in western Slavonia, Croatia, population 4,852, total municipality population 8,482 . Pakrac is located on the road and railroad connecting the regions of Posavina and Podravina.-Name:...
, and later convicted. Tomislav Merčep himself was not indicted in these proceedings.
Merčep became a HDZ member of the Chamber of Counties of Croatian Parliament in 1993.
In 1995, he became the leader of the "Association of Croatian Volunteer Veterans of the Patriotic War" . he remains at the head of that association.
In late 1990s he quit the HDZ and instead founded his own party, the Croatian Popular Party
Croatian Popular Party
Croatian Popular Party is a right-wing political party in Croatia.The party was founded in 1997 by Tomislav Merčep after his departure from Croatian Democratic Union....
(Hrvatska pučka stranka, HPS). In 2000 he ran as a HPS candidate on 2000 presidential elections
Croatian presidential election, 2000
Presidential elections were held in Croatia on 24 January 2000. As no candidate passed the 50% threshold, a secound round was held on 7 February, the first time a second round had been required in the country's history. The result was a victory for Stjepan Mesić of the Croatian People's Party, who...
, where he received 0.85% of the vote and was eliminated in the first round.
In 2003, the Croatian weekly Nacional
Nacional (weekly)
Nacional is a Croatian weekly newsmagazine published in Zagreb.-History:Nacional was started in 1995 by Denis Kuljiš, Ivo Pukanić and other journalists dissatisfied with the editorial policies of Croatian weekly newspaper Globus. Both publications were hostile to the ruling HDZ government...
reported that the ICTY was "completing an indictment against Tomislav Merčep", after having talked to Franjo Gregurić
Franjo Greguric
Franjo Gregurić is a Croatian politician who served as prime minister of Croatia from July 1991 to September 1992.Gregurić was born in the Zagorje village of Lobor. He attended the Technical highschool in Zagreb, and then the Technical Faculty of the University of Zagreb...
, Mladen Markač
Mladen Markac
Mladen Markač , is a former Croatian military officer. He was a Commander of Croatian Special Police during Operation Storm during the Croatian War of Independence , and afterwords held the rank of Colonel General...
, Hrvoje Šarinić
Hrvoje Šarinic
Hrvoje Šarinić is a Croatian politician.Šarinić was born in Sušak, Rijeka and graduated from the University of Zagreb then-Faculty of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy....
and others. There were media reports in 2006 that an indictment against Merčep himself, based on ICTY investigations, was forthcoming in the Croatian legal system. In December 2010, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
stated Merčep should be prosecuted based on a series of public testimonies about crimes committed by his subordinates. In the same week, the County Prosecutor in Zagreb brought up charges against Merčep and he was arrested.