Ivan Cermak
Encyclopedia
Ivan Čermak is a Croatian politician and soldier.
He was born in the municipality of Zagreb
(at the time SR Croatia
, SFR Yugoslavia
). He became a small businessman in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he entered the oil business.
Between 1990 and 1991, Čermak held the position of Vice President of the Executive Board of the Croatian Democratic Union
(the "HDZ") and also served as an advisor to the President of the Republic of Croatia, Franjo Tuđman. In 1991, he was appointed the Assistant Minister of Defence in the Croatian Government, a position he held until 1993. While in this position and thereafter, he held the rank of Colonel General
.
In 1993, he briefly served as the Minister of Economy in the Cabinet of Nikica Valentić.
Čermak was commander of the Croatian Army's Knin corps during the 1995 Operation Storm
.
In 2000, he was one of the signatories to the Twelve Generals' Letter
.
In February 2004, he was indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
and brought to trial in the Hague on charges of operating a joint criminal enterprise for the purpose of permanently removing the Serb population
from the Krajina
by force and of crimes against humanity.
In April 2011 the judgement was handed down and he was acquitted of all charges by the Trial Chamber and released immediately. The Prosecution did not appeal his acquittal.
He was born in the municipality of 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...
(at the time SR Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
, SFR Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
). He became a small businessman in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he entered the oil business.
Between 1990 and 1991, Čermak held the position of Vice President of the Executive Board of 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...
(the "HDZ") and also served as an advisor to the President of the Republic of Croatia, Franjo Tuđman. In 1991, he was appointed the Assistant Minister of Defence in the Croatian Government, a position he held until 1993. While in this position and thereafter, he held the rank of Colonel General
Colonel General
Colonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
.
In 1993, he briefly served as the Minister of Economy in the Cabinet of Nikica Valentić.
Čermak was commander of the Croatian Army's Knin corps during the 1995 Operation Storm
Operation Storm
Operation Storm is the code name given to a large-scale military operation carried out by Croatian Armed Forces, in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to gain back control of parts of Croatia which had been claimed by separatist ethnic Serbs, since early...
.
In 2000, he was one of the signatories to the Twelve Generals' Letter
Twelve Generals' Letter
The Twelve Generals' Letter was an open letter, signed by twelve generals of the Croatian Armed Forces, that criticized the government, politicians and media for perceived criminalization of the Croatian War of Independence and asserted that war veterans had suffered undignified treatment...
.
In February 2004, he was indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
and brought to trial in the Hague on charges of operating a joint criminal enterprise for the purpose of permanently removing the Serb population
Serbs of Croatia
Višeslav of Serbia, a contemporary of Charlemagne , ruled the Županias of Neretva, Tara, Piva, Lim, his ancestral lands. According to the Royal Frankish Annals , Duke of Pannonia Ljudevit Posavski fled, during the Frankish invasion, from his seat in Sisak to the Serbs in western Bosnia, who...
from the Krajina
Republic of Serbian Krajina
The Republic of Serbian Krajina was a self-proclaimed Serb entity within Croatia. Established in 1991, it was not recognized internationally. It formally existed from 1991 to 1995, having been initiated a year earlier via smaller separatist regions. The name Krajina means "frontier"...
by force and of crimes against humanity.
In April 2011 the judgement was handed down and he was acquitted of all charges by the Trial Chamber and released immediately. The Prosecution did not appeal his acquittal.