Organization for protection of human rights Amnesty International (AI) expressed concern on Wednesday over the recent statement by Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor hailing generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac, who have been sentenced by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia over war crimes.

AI stated that such statements fuel the atmosphere of impunity and reflect the lack of political will for investigation and punishing war crimes committed by Croatian forces during the 1991-1995 war.

The AI statement reads that this organization is seriously worried by the statements which attack the ICTY and praise military Operation Storm in Krajina that led to the exodus of some 200,000 Serbs.

AI stated that such statements send a political message that undermines justice and discourages the legal system from investigation and punishing of the Operation Storm war crimes.