Croatia said today that two retired generals would surrender to the United Nations war crimes tribunal this week, in the first act of compliance with the court since a new government took office in December.
Justice Minister Vesna Skare-Ozbolt told a news conference that Generals Mladen Markac, 48, and Ivan Cermak, 54, would go to The Hague by the end of this week.
They were charged with crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war for atrocities in a 1995 government offensive against Serb rebels.
Cooperation with the tribunal is a key condition for Zagreb to start European Union entry talks next year. Failure to hand over indictees would almost certainly block Zagreb's path, damaging investor confidence in the former Yugoslav republic.
"The generals received the indictments and immediately expressed readiness to appear before the tribunal as soon as possible," Mr Skare-Ozbolt said.
"The government is convinced that the tribunal will also welcome the decisions...and will temporarily release them before the start of their trials," she added.
The generals will fly to the tribunal's seat in the Netherlands on Thursday and enter their pleas in court on Friday, their lawyers told state radio, adding they would ask for their release from custody after that.
Today's surrender could intensify the spotlight on neighbouring Serbia, whose newly appointed conservative prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, wants Serb suspects tried at home and considers extradition to The Hague "not a priority".
For Belgrade, an assessment of non-compliance by the United States at the end of March could mean a financial aid cut-off.