The team of lawyers representing Croatian General Ante Gotovina reported on Friday they reached a settlement deal with the Dutch NCRV television station which agreed it would correct its report aired on 14 January 2011 which linked Gotovina with crimes that were allegedly committed against Serbs in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1992 and in exchange Gotovina would withdraw a defamation lawsuit against TV NCRV.
"TV NCRV immediately and without stalling admitted its mistake and thus created a possibility for an out-of-court settlement," read a statement signed by lawyer Luka Misetic. Misetic also said that the broadcasting company released a correction and an apology in its news programme and on its website, so Gotovina decided to withdraw the lawsuit.
The TV station aired a report on 14 January in which Dutch Stefan van Zanten, who used to be a member of the UN Protection Forces (UNPROFOR) in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, claimed that Gotovina was responsible for crimes which were allegedly committed against Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina during 1992.
Gotovina's layers filed the defamation suit on 11 February with the relevant court in Amsterdam asking that NCRV network should apologise to the Croatian general and pay EUR 50,000 in damages.
"Gotovina's defence team expressed their satisfaction with the professional behaviour of the TV NCRV leadership who assumed full responsibility and decided to resolve this dispute and truthfully inform its viewers, even about the mistake the network made," the statement said.
