# Ivan Čermak

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**Ivan Čermak** (ˈǐʋan ˈtʃɛrmaːk; born 19 December 1949) is a [Croatian](/source/Croatia) businessman, politician and former general.

## Biography

Born in [Zagreb](/source/Zagreb), Čermak became a small businessman in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he entered the oil business.[1]

Between 1990 and 1991, Čermak held the position of Vice President of the Executive Board of the [Croatian Democratic Union](/source/Croatian_Democratic_Union) (HDZ) and also served as an advisor to the President of the Republic of Croatia, [Franjo Tuđman](/source/Franjo_Tu%C4%91man). 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](/source/Colonel_General).[citation needed] He was succeeded in this position by his former chauffeur, [Vladimir Zagorec](/source/Vladimir_Zagorec).[2]

In 1993, he briefly served as the [Minister of Economy](/source/Ministry_of_Economy_(Croatia)) in the [Cabinet of Nikica Valentić](/source/Cabinet_of_Nikica_Valenti%C4%87).

Čermak was commander of the Croatian Army's Knin corps during the 1995 [Operation Storm](/source/Operation_Storm).[3]

In 2000, he was one of the signatories to the [Twelve Generals' Letter](/source/Twelve_Generals'_Letter).[4]

In February 2004, he was indicted by the [International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia](/source/International_Criminal_Tribunal_for_the_former_Yugoslavia) and brought to [Trial of Gotovina et al](/source/Trial_of_Gotovina_et_al) in the Hague on charges of operating a [joint criminal enterprise](/source/Joint_criminal_enterprise) for the purpose of permanently removing the [Serb population](/source/Serbs_of_Croatia) from the [Krajina](/source/Republic_of_Serbian_Krajina) by force and of crimes against humanity.[5]

In April 2011 the judgement was handed down and he was acquitted of all charges by the Trial Chamber and released immediately.[6] The Prosecution did not appeal his acquittal.[7]

## References

1. Denis Kuljiš (2007-09-08). ["Čermak, ili priča o hrvatskom uspjehu"](http://www.nezavisne.com/komentari/kolumne/Cermak-ili-prica-o-hrvatskom-uspjehu-14138.html) (in Croatian). *[Nezavisne novine](/source/Nezavisne_novine)*. Retrieved 2010-12-19.

1. ["Ex-General Vladimir Zagorec: Vom Landvermesser zum superreichen Kroaten"](http://www.news.at/a/ex-general-vladimir-zagorec-vom-landvermesser-kroaten-220538). *News Networld Internetservice GmbH*. 2 March 2009. Retrieved 2013-11-18.

1. ["Croatia: Impunity for Abuses Committed during "OPERATION STORM" and the denial of the Right of Refugees to return to the Krajinka"](https://www.hrw.org/reports/1996/Croatia.htm), *Human Rights Watch*. **8** (13 (D)), August 1996

1. ["Ivan Čermak"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140908104729/http://www.vecernji.hr/biografije/ivan-cermak-58) (in Croatian). [Večernji list](/source/Ve%C4%8Dernji_list). Archived from [the original](http://www.vecernji.hr/biografije/ivan-cermak-58) on 2014-09-08. Retrieved 2014-09-07.

1. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (2008-03-12), ["Amended Joinder Indictment, Gotovina, Čermak and Markač"](https://www.un.org/icty/indictment/english/got-coramdjoind080312e.pdf), [United Nations](/source/United_Nations), Case Number IT-06-90, retrieved 2008-04-14

1. ["Croat generals jailed for war crimes in Krajina"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13092438). *BBC News*. 2011-04-15.

1. ["iPress.hr - Čermak slobodan, tužiteljstvo se neće žaliti"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110520214335/http://www.ipress.hr/hrvatska/cermak-slobodan-tuziteljstvo-se-nije-zalilo-15178.html). *www.ipress.hr*. Archived from [the original](http://www.ipress.hr/hrvatska/cermak-slobodan-tuziteljstvo-se-nije-zalilo-15178.html) on 2011-05-20.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ivan Čermak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_%C4%8Cermak) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_%C4%8Cermak?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.