A court in Croatia has decided to resume its probe of a lawmaker suspected of war crimes during the 1990s Balkan conflict after determining he is fit to face further proceedings.
The Zagreb district court said Thursday that Branimir Glavas, who was hospitalized in December after a 37-day prison hunger strike, is now capable of attending the hearing. A court spokesman, Kresimir Devic, said the judge, Zdenko Posavec, based his decision on medical tests done this week.
Glavas was placed in detention in October over allegations he ordered the torture and killing of ethnic Serbs as head of the regional defense in eastern Croatia in 1991. Prosecutors said bodies of some victims were found gagged, bound and dumped in a river.
Glavas went on hunger strike while in detention. The court suspended its probe in December, after court doctors determined his life was in danger.
In other developments, Croatian President Stipe Mesic said that establishing the truth about the Yugoslav conflict and war crimes in the 1990s is a precondition to lasting peace in southeastern Europe.
Mr. Mesic made the remark at a two-day international conference on that theme, which opened Thursday in Croatia's capital, Zagreb.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
