Tanjug Daily News Review, 96-06-25

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From: Tanjug, Yugoslavia, via Serbian Unity Congress <http://www.suc.org/>

Jun 25, 1996
NEWS AGENCY - TANJUG
DAILY NEWS REVIEW

CONTENTS

[01] PROSPECTS OF FACILITATED ENTRY OF YUGOSLAVS INTO ITALY

[02] RESTORATION OF GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND FINLAND

[03] VISIT BY CROATIAN PRESIDENT TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ILLEGAL

[04] ELISABETH REHN ON RIGHTS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IN VOJVODINA

[05] BOUTROS-GHALI TO SEEK BRITISH SUPPORT FOR EXTENSION OF IFOR MANDATE

[06] SOLANA AND PERRY ON BOSNIA AND NATO'S EXPANSION

[07] HEALTHY FOOD FOR EUROPE AND UNITED STATES

[08] DANUBE RIVER BASIN TO BE CLEARED

[09] MORE THAN 200,000 MONTENEGRINS TO GET FREE SHARES

[10] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA RECEIVES SPECIAL U.N. RAPPORTEUR

[11] CROATIAN PRESIDENT TUDJMAN VIEWS WESTERN HERZEGOVINA PART OF CROATIA

[12] FIR CONDEMNS ATTEMPT TO DESECRATE JASENOVAC

[13] 49 POLITICAL PARTIES APPLY FOR ELECTIONS IN BIH

[14] BIH CROAT ERDEMOVIC TO BE TRIED JULY 8-9

[15] WOMEN IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA DEMAND PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM U.N. OFFICIAL

[16] VISIT BY CROATIAN REFUGEES TO THEIR FORMER HOMES IN SERB VILLAGE OF SARVAS CANCELLED

[17] MILOSEVIC, BILDT DISCUSS DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS IMPLEMENTATION

[18] CROATIAN OFFICE IN BELGRADE TO START CONSULAR WORK ON JULY 8

[19] CONDITIONS FOR BOSNIA ELECTIONS TO BE DECLARED TUESDAY

[20] HERCEG-BOSNA REMAINS STUMBLING BLOCK IN MUSLIM-CROAT RELATIONS

[21] DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SERBS IN SARAJEVO SHAKES PEACE ACCORDS

[22] NOVI SAD DAILY: CROATIA HAS OPTED TO LIVE WITHOUT SERBS

[23] BOSNIA NATO'S TEST SITE

[24] YUGOSLAVIA DEMANDS URGENT APPOINTMENT OF KARADZIC'S SUCCESSOR

[25] U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY VISITS SERBIAN PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA

[26] GHASTLY VOLUME OF POLITICAL ABUSE OF SPORTS IN CROATIA

[27] ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA ON SEPTEMBER 14

[28] GERMAN MEDIA ON FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUTBREAK OF BALKAN CRISIS

[01] PROSPECTS OF FACILITATED ENTRY OF YUGOSLAVS INTO ITALY

the pobjeda daily from podgorica, the capital of the yugoslav republic of montenegro, reported from bari that the italian foreign ministry would soon settle the demands for easier terms in obtaining entry visas for crossing the border at bari.

pobjeda learned from high apulia officials that the ministry would clarify its stand towards this question already later this week.

on certain days, 48-hour passes would be issued to 'border inhabitants' by italian officials in bari as well as in the montenegrin adriatic port of bar.

the yugoslav side had already simplified entry procedure by introducing free of charge passes for italian and other montenegro-bound holiday makers.

these days the mixed italian-yugoslav rigel company will engage the zenith ship on the bari-bar-bari route.

the rigel-owned italian-flagged zenith will greatly help increase visits by tourists from italy to the montenegrin seaboard, the company said.

[02] RESTORATION OF GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND FINLAND

in a statement after a meeting with the finnish minister, who is on an official visit to the federal republic of yugoslavia, milutinovic said that they had thoroughly discussed all issues of importance to the two countries.

milutinovic said that the meeting had focused on prospects for upgrading bilateral relations, the implementation of the dayton accords and the realization of the agreement on the srem-baranja area.

the two sides agreed that a consistent and global implementation of the peace agreement for bosnia-herzegovina constituted a basis for reestablishing lasting peace and stability, renewing economic cooperation and establishing links in the region, milutinovic said, pointing to finland's constructive role in the peace process in that former yugoslav republic.

halonen pointed to the importance of a restoration of full diplomatic relations between the two countries and said that finland backed the peace process in bosnia and a process of reconstruction of the former yugoslavia.

finland will intensify its diplomatic activities in the region in the period to come in order to enable the region to become a good partner for the european union (eu), halonen said.

halonen also said that after belgrade she would visit bosnia-herzegovina and croatia, another former yugoslav republic.

[03] VISIT BY CROATIAN PRESIDENT TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ILLEGAL

sda president for croatia semso tankovic described tudjman's visit to western herzegovina, an area controlled by croats in bosnia-herzegovina, as a demonstration of attempts to annex the area to croatia.

he said that during tudjman's visit to medjugorje there were no symbols of the state of bosnia-herzegovina while state symbols of the republic of croatia could be seen everywhere.

[04] ELISABETH REHN ON RIGHTS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IN VOJVODINA

in a talk with vojvodina parliament speaker milutin stojkovic, rehn said the education of national minorities in vojvodina was at a very high level.

she said she was impressed with the knowledge that the entire work of the provincial assembly was translated simultaneously into the languages of all national minorities in this province.

pointing out that there were 26 nations, national minorities and members of different religious affiliations in vojvodina, stojkovic said they all enjoyed equal rights.

languages of the nations and nationalities are in official use in the 35 municipalities of the province, stojkovic said, and added that national minorities were equal also in political life, as they have their own parties which take part in the work of parliament.

[05] BOUTROS-GHALI TO SEEK BRITISH SUPPORT FOR EXTENSION OF IFOR MANDATE

'the secretary-general feels it will be extremely necessary for an international presence t continue after the ifor mandate expires,' boutros-ghali's spokesman told the reuter news agency monday.

boutros-ghali will meet with british prime minister john major in london prior to a conference of the group of seven in lyon at the end of the nonth.

[06] SOLANA AND PERRY ON BOSNIA AND NATO'S EXPANSION

pentagon spokesman lt.col. richard scott gave no details, said the afp news agency.

solana had met previously with u.s. secretary of state warren christopher, said afp.

the two officials judged it premature to engage in discussions on retaining the multi-national force in bosnia after the mandate of the peace implementation force (ifor) expires at the end of the year, said afp, quoting an official of the state department.

[07] HEALTHY FOOD FOR EUROPE AND UNITED STATES

vrebalov said this in talks with president of the regional commission for europe of the international office epizootics (oie) nikola belev, who is visiting yugoslavia.

belev has met with yugoslav experts to discuss animal health care, production and healthy food control.

vrebalov and belev discussed conditions for a free international flow of animals and meat products, and yugoslavia's exports in the sphere of agriculture, expecially in cattle breeding.

yugoslavia has conformed its regulations to europe's norms, and is continually perfecting its protection of animal infectious diseases.

special attention was devoted to the question of yugoslavia's membership in the organization, which belev said would soon be resolved with a constructive accord.

[08] DANUBE RIVER BASIN TO BE CLEARED

representatives of the djerdap navigation system said on tuesday that talks had started with the romanian side on moving the navigation route by 200 metres towards the romanian side of the danube to enable the clearing of the danube basin of ships that sank in world war ii.

a consortium, which will ensure 400 million dollars for clearing the danube on the section between the djerdap ii hydroelectric power plant and prahovo, was founded in october 1995 at the proposal of the yugoslav transport and communications ministry.

[09] MORE THAN 200,000 MONTENEGRINS TO GET FREE SHARES

this would be ensured through the distribution of privatization coupons, i.e. the capital transferred to one of the three republican state funds -- the development fund.

the employees in the public sector who have at least three years of experience, old-age and disability pensioners who worked in the public sector and people who have been unemployed for more than five years would be entitled to the coupons.

the employed have the right to 3,000 ecus' (5,500 german marks) worth of privatization coupons, while the unemployed have the right to 1,500 ecus' worth of coupons.

both groups would purchase shares, i.e. the capital of any company which is being privatized, from the development fund for the coupons.

the owners of the coupons will be able to sell them to privatization funds, which are still to be set up under the bill.

in this way, montenegrins will own 25 to 30 percent of the capital. according to official interpretations, montenegro would thus approach the czech model of voucherization.

[10] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA RECEIVES SPECIAL U.N. RAPPORTEUR

as was announced by the office of the president of serbia, views and information were exchanged during the talk concerning the question of the exercise of human rights in the area of former yugoslavia.

also dealt with was the materialization of the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and rights of citizens of the federal republic of yugoslavia (f.r.y.) which rely upon the full equality and the equal protection on the part of the state organs and institutions.

also taking part in the talk was federal minister margit savovic.

[11] CROATIAN PRESIDENT TUDJMAN VIEWS WESTERN HERZEGOVINA PART OF CROATIA

sarajevo analysts warned on monday that tudjman's presence in medjugorje 'is proof more of sympathy for western herzegovina and the croats living there.'

sarajevo paper oslobodjanje said that in medjugorje tudjman 'acted more as the host, rather than a guest at a concert held in the territory of another state.'

oslobodjanje said that tudjman's 'strutting about medjugorje and siroki brijeg' proves that the talk about 'bosnia's independence is a mockery.'

the paper said that tudjman has been allowed to achieve unique military standing in the world: to be the commander of the croatian army and the croatian defense council (hvo - bosnian croat armed formations).

analysts believe that the playacting in medjugorje was no coincidence because this was where all decisions made by the croatian democratic union (hdz) were defined as the political will of the bosnian croats.

tudjman's visit to medjugorje and the setting up in mid-june 1996 of the new government of the croatian republic of herceg bosna (declared in july 1992), will additionally disrupt the already unstable relations within the muslim-croat federation in bosnia, observers in sarajevo said.

[12] FIR CONDEMNS ATTEMPT TO DESECRATE JASENOVAC

fir adopted a resolution at its congress at the proposal of the veterans' association of the federal republic of yugoslavia (subnor) after three days of work.

the resolution called on the council of europe and other international organizations to put the camp, which is controlled by croatian authorities, under international protection and proclaim it world historical heritage.

the participants in the congress offered support to a consistent implementation of the dayton peace accords and called for an equal treatment of the two internationally-recognized entities in bosnia-herzegovina -- the republika srpska (rs) and the muslim-croat federation.

the congress also condemned all forms of terrorism and violation of international law, and urged a settlement of the position of national minorities and the compensation to victims of nazi persecution.

[13] 49 POLITICAL PARTIES APPLY FOR ELECTIONS IN BIH

he said that the question of those willing to vote in the territory of the other entity had not yet been solved.

mariner told a news conference in sarajevo that a total of six electoral regions would be instituted in the bih -- two in the republika srpska (r.s.) and four in the muslim-croat federation.

he added that complete lists of party candidates would be made by july 4.

at the june 30 local elections in mostar, ifor would protect the non-government organizations, while polling stations would be secured by local authorities assisted by international policemen.

mariner said that ifor would no longer escort muslim convoys from sarajevo to the eastern muslim enclave of gorazde. he did not comment on sunday's incident outside gorazde, but only confirmed that in it two portuguese ifor members were wounded.

[14] BIH CROAT ERDEMOVIC TO BE TRIED JULY 8-9

during the trial, several prosecution and defence witnesses, and court experts, will be heard. the experts, two dutchmen and one yugoslav, shall appraise the psychological condition of the accused who is defended by yugoslav lawyer jovan babic.

erdemovic was arrested by yugoslav authorities on march 2, after his statement to the french le figaro paper saying that, as member of the army of the republika srpska (r.s., serb entity in the bih)), he had taken part in the killings of muslims near srebrenica, city in the east of the bih.

srebrenica, formerly a u.n.-proclaimed 'safe zone', became part of the r.s. according to the dayton peace accords towards the end of 1995.

at the hague tribunal request, the yugoslav authorities made over erdemovic and his associate radoslav kremenovic who was heard and then acquitted by the hague tribunal and returned to yugoslavia.

during the preliminary hearings, erdemovic said he had been forced to kill 80-100 persons.

out of a total of 56 persons suspected by this court of having committed war crimes, 39 are serbs.

so far three persons of serb nationality have been acquitted of charges either for lack of evidence or mistaken identity.

[15] WOMEN IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA DEMAND PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM U.N. OFFICIAL

you should not be part of a mission of peace and if you cannot be of any help do not stand in our way, the association said in an open letter addressed on monday to ivanko and internatinal organizations. the association asked for truth on missing and detained rs combatants in a public protest on june 17-18.

the immediate cause for the protest outside the mission of the organization for security and cooperation in europe (osce) in banjaluka were eight months of incertitude about the fate of 1,150 serb combatants and 805 civilians who are unaccounted for since last year's muslim-croat offensive against northwestern krajina and ozren, area in northern bosnia-herzegovina.

in its letter, the association said that the women were backed by the entire democratic world on that day except ivanko who described the 'move of serb mothers, sisters and wives' as a criminal act and called them criminals.

two voluntary hostages, osce staff members, were with the women and they understood their move, the letter said, adding that the serb women had asked for freedom for all -- serbs, croats and muslims.

about 150 women, association members, gathered again outside the rs army command in banjaluka on monday and urged a speedier resolution of the issue of unaccounted for and detained soldiers and civilians.

krajina corps commander gen. momir talic addressed the women and said that the rs army supported their demands and that a rs army representative would take part in their activities in the future.

the members of the association insist on the need to register combatants detained in muslim and croat prisons, open mass graves and search areas which are not under serb control in order to find the bodies of soldiers from all three sides in bosnia-herzegovina.

[16] VISIT BY CROATIAN REFUGEES TO THEIR FORMER HOMES IN SERB VILLAGE OF SARVAS CANCELLED

a statement released by the local press service said that sarvas inhabitants demanded the removal of the names of 26 people suspected of having taken part in the massacre of serb civilians on 2 aug. 1991 while the village was still under croatian control.

representatives of the u.n. transitional administration for eastern slavonia (untaes) approved the serb demand and decided that 27 croats should visit sarvas instead of 53 croats who had planned to attend a mass in the sarvas church on the occasion of the catholic festival st. john the baptist. croatian representatives rejected the decision and said that either all croats would visit sarvas or no one would come.

in the meantime, a group of sarvas serbs gathered outside the catholic church with posters 'where are our relatives and fellow-villagers -- where are their graves.'

after untaes threats that the posters would be removed forcibly, the local population rallied around the church but an incident was avoided following a report that croats had decided not to visit sarvas because of the changes in the list.

[17] MILOSEVIC, BILDT DISCUSS DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS IMPLEMENTATION

milosevic and bildt pointed at the importance of respect for obligations stemming from the peace acords, a statement released from milosevic's cabinet said.

yugoslav foreign minister milan milutinovic also attended the talks, the statement said.

[18] CROATIAN OFFICE IN BELGRADE TO START CONSULAR WORK ON JULY 8

the office of the yugoslav government in zagreb successfully began consular work on june 15.

thanks to the agreement, yugoslav citizens will no longer have to go to croatian embassies in neighboring countries to get the necessary documents to travel to croatia.

yugoslav delegation head radomir bogdanovic said the expert teams of foreign and interior ministries and the custioms administrations of the two countries had agreed that there should be equal conditions on both sides for crossing the border.

the yugoslav side also proposed that the practice of changing vehicle plates on the common border on entering the country be abandoned as of july 1 this year.

the delegations also considered other questions regarding consular affairs, including problems of temporary protection of property, inheritance, and other rights of citizens.

[19] CONDITIONS FOR BOSNIA ELECTIONS TO BE DECLARED TUESDAY

over the weekend, cotti met in banjaluka and sarajevo with the political leaderships of the (bosnian serb) republika srpska and the muslim-croat federation to discuss conditions for holding free and fair elections.

the swiss diplomat will present the osce permanent council with his views, and then officially announce the decision whether or not the planned elections could be organized in bosnia in mid-september as planned under the dayton agreement.

cotti has so far been reserved in view of the date of the elections becausejn in his opinion, conditions are not yet ripe for the poll.

he has been mentioning he limited freedom of movement, the slow return of refugees and limited access of political parties to the local media.

[20] HERCEG-BOSNA REMAINS STUMBLING BLOCK IN MUSLIM-CROAT RELATIONS

belgrade, june 25 (tanjug) - the restoration of the croat republic of herceg-bosna at a time of the upcoming elections in bosnia has again shown that the republic of croatia is not giving up the idea of fully controlling that part of bosnia-herzegovina.

before the step was taken, herceg-bosna's capital of mostar was the scene of the worst dispute between the muslim and croat federal partners in bosnia.

under the dayton agreement, herceg-bosna was formally abolished at the end of january and re-named into the croat community of herceg-bosna, which was described as a 'political, economic and cultural community of the croat people in bosnia.'

on june 15, it formed a government, assuming the attributes of a state and further jeopardizing the already unsteady federation with the local muslims.

herceg-bosna, formed at the beginning of the bosnian war, was the first military and political organization of bosnian croats and on august 24, 1993 it was proclaimed a republic with mostar as its capital. it was a time of fierce armed conflicts with muslims.

herceg-bosna's territorial and political pillar is the region of western herzegovina, populated solely by croats and heavily leaning, both politically and economically, on croatia, which founded it and remained the sole country recognizing it.

herceg-bosna also includes parts of cental bosnia (the lasva river valley, the region of kiseljak, the croat enclaves in the municipalities of zepca and maglaj), parts of the posavina region (orasje and, under the dayton agreement, odzak), as well as the territories of the republika srpska captured between november 1994 and october 1995 (kupres, jajce and several towns in the bosnian krajina region in the northwest).

the muslim-croat federation was formed in washington in march 1994 but, apart from the cessation of fighting, it has failed to achieve any other significant result.

the federation, brokered by the united states, has never started to function because herceg-bosna's ties with zagreb have remained stronger than those with sarajevo.

herceg-bosna still uses the croatian national currency, the kuna, as well as telephone and postal services, while custom dues are paid for imports from and exports to the muslim part of bosnia.

furthermore, the local croat armed forces (hvo) have been placed under the command of the croatian army main headquarters, which appoints and replaces croat commanders in bosnia.

the dayton agreement, which makes no mention of any form of croat autonomy in bosnia, has hardly changed anything because it failed to strengthen the federation and suppress the republic of herceg-bosna.

the questions of mostar and the return of refugees proved to be the main stumbling block in the relations between the two communities as well as their intolerance in municipalities with mixed population.

muslim officials have accused bosnian croat authorities of preventing free movement of muslims in croat-controlled areas, of dismissing muslims from work, evicting them, preventing the return of refugees, preventing muslim religious services, and forcing muslim children to attend classes at school organized according to the croatian curriculum.

the restoration of the croat state certainly has a great deal to do with the expected elections in bosnia because the ruling croatian democratic union (hdz) in this way wants to assume the posts allocated to croat representatives on federal bodies, and, consequently, to officially strengthen the herceg-bosna state and its ties with croatia.

[21] DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SERBS IN SARAJEVO SHAKES PEACE ACCORDS

the population of serb districts of sarajevo are going through a tragedy for the second time in the past few months, the radio said in a broadcast on monday.

this happened for the first time in march, when serb districts were placed under muslim control, under the peace accords, voice of russia said. almost 150,000 serbs left the town, fearing abuse from muslims, and sarajevo's serb districts were taken over by 25,000 muslims, the radio said.

alexander ivanko, a representative of u.n. international police forces, told reporters in sarajevo last friday that the situation in former serb districts was still tense because of provocations and other actions by muslims, the voice of russia commentary said.

ivanko said more than 100 serbs recently had to leave their homes in the districts of srbinje, vogosca and ilidza, the radio said.

it is typical that muslim leaders, including prime minister hasan muratovic, reject accusations that serbs are discriminated against in sarajevo, voice of russia said.

voice of russia said international observers held different views on this issue. the radio said deputy u.n. high representative for bosnia michael steiner had said he was ashamed because of the behaviour of muslim authorities toward sarajevo serbs.

[22] NOVI SAD DAILY: CROATIA HAS OPTED TO LIVE WITHOUT SERBS

'ethnic cleansing of serbs in croatia, which began in the spring of 1991 when more than 500 serb houses were torched in the hinterland of the crokcity of zadar, ended these days with the passing of a law on territories of special state concern,' said the daily of the capital novi sad of yugoslavia's vojvodina province.

dnevnik said that this law, which pertains to parts of the former republic of serb krajina, does not specify that serbs have been banned from returning, but that this decision is more than evident in the articles on inheritance.

among other things, the law states that persons who 'took part in hostile activities against the republic of croatia' cannot come to live in krajina. this practically means that no serb who took part in the defense of his home in krajina can return there, the daily said.

'since all serbs took part in krajina's defense, the over 700,000 (expelled) serbs cannot return to croatia,' said dnevnik.

under the new law, 'reliable croats' can move into these regions, primarily those who spent at least three months in the croatian army, but also those convicted for politial crimes in the former yugoslavia, dnevnik said.

thus, croats will settle in lands where serbs arrived more than 500 years ago to defend austria's borders from the ottoman empire, said dnevnik. the border stretched from senj, through gorksi kotar, karlovac, vojnic, vrginmost, glina, dvor, gradiska, and slavonski brod, to beli manastir.

this law will place this entire area 'under the wings of croatia's rasist policy,' dnevnik said.

the law also applies to the serb region of eastern slavonija, baranja, and west srem, although the erdut agreement signed in early 1996 placed the region under european union administration for one year with a possible one-year extension.

this croatian law was not adopted in secret, but it is unusual that its adoption passed unnoticed, the daily wonders.

there were no reactions either from the united nations or the united states, whose representatives are in charge of the implementation of the dayton accords, the novi sad daily said.

[23] BOSNIA NATO'S TEST SITE

in reaction to western media reports that 'nato is testing new weaponry in bosnia,' the daily said in an editorial that it was no secret western forces were testing new weapons in deserted serb villages in bosnia.

the western military industry is in full swing and new weapons must be tested somewhere, the daily said.

'it is much more favorable (for nato) to do this testing over the heads of balkan people and deserted serb houses than over the decorated rooftops of u.s., english, or french villages,' said the editorial.

that is why nato is not hesitating yet again to place alleged blame on serbs and to exert pressure in its typical way just so that it can accomplish another mission in bosnia which it 'is turning into a test site,' the editorial said.

[24] YUGOSLAVIA DEMANDS URGENT APPOINTMENT OF KARADZIC'S SUCCESSOR

if the bosnian serb parliament remains deaf to demands for the full implementation of the dayton peace agreement, yugoslavia will take all measures both towards institutions and towards individuals who are threatening the interests of the citizens of republika srpska and yugoslavia, said a statement from the yugoslav president's cabinet.

at the initiative of the yugoslav leadership, the presidents of yugoslavia, serbia and montenegro - zoran lilic, slobodan milosevic and momir bulatovic respectively, met on monday with the bosnian serb representatives, biljana plavsic and nikola koljevic, to discuss the implementation of the dayton agreement in keeping with yugoslavia's role as the guarrantor that republika srpska would carry out all the provisions of the peace agreement. end ju/bk/mb

[25] U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY VISITS SERBIAN PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA

rehn met in subotica, northern vojvodina, with representatives of hungarian and croatian minorities, non-government organizations and local officials.

she said that a lack of harmony between republican and federal laws was creating difficulties in their implementation.

rehn told a news conference that representatives of minorities and local self-rule had complained about the exercize of rights but she declined to disclose details on their objections.

we must check everything, collect additional information, and only then write reports and announce facts, she said, adding that for the time being she did not have a stand on demands made by ethnic hungarian parties for territorial or personal autonomy.

asked by journalists about her stand on refugees and a claim by local authorities that the refugees have disturbed the ethnic structure of the population, she said that there was no proof that the refugees had been accommodated in the area to that effect but that she believed that they were in a dire position.

vojvodina is inhabited by two-million people and has many ethnic minorities. according to a census conducted in 1991, over 1,140,000 serbs (57 percent) and 340,000 hungarians (17 percent) live in the province.

[26] GHASTLY VOLUME OF POLITICAL ABUSE OF SPORTS IN CROATIA

the radio said that the politicization of sports in croatia was taking on the size once known in east germany, while some were remembering a still earlier germany.

the radio stressed that in croatia, the powers in elite and most popular sports were being held by senior officials of the ruling croatian democratic union (hdz), officers of the croatian army (hv) and businessmen close to the hdz. they also might have some share in this treatment of sports and in the formation of croatia's 'new man,' the radio said.

the radio said that the social democrats of croatia in a statement for the general public warned against the fatal effects of the politicization of sports typical of totalitarian regimes.

these days, the radio said, a horrible image was taking shape in croatia about an ideal sportsman of this country. before leaving for england, the croatian soccer team selector ciro blazevic used to say that when he called his team members 'under the flag, they all fix their bayonets,' stressing that it was precisely in this way how national teams had been trained, as if for a battle -- for the nation, the state, the president, the radio said.

in explaining germany's recent triumph over russia at the european soccer championship in england, blazevic said that this was taking vengeance for stalingrad and that he was 'preferring the germans in armoured tanks.'

the radio said that the total control over sports was inevitably leading into the totalitarian control over society.

germany was the first member of the european union which recognized the western republics of the former yugoslav federation, croatia and slovenia, when they forcibly seceeded from it towards the end of june, 1991.

[27] ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA ON SEPTEMBER 14

cotti told a meeting of the osce council that he had made the decision after widespread consultations, especially with the bosnian sides, and also on the basis of stands taken at the recent international conference on bosnia in florence.

the dayton agreement put osce in charge of the holding and monitoring of the bosnia elections. end rg/bk/mb

[28] GERMAN MEDIA ON FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUTBREAK OF BALKAN CRISIS

bonn, june 25 (tanjug) - german media on tuesday extensively reported on the five-year anniversary of the outbreak of the crisis in the former yugoslavia, but failed to find a real and honest explanation about the real reasons behind the balkan drama.

events which took place on 25 june 1991, when slovenia and croatia proclaimed independence and embarked on a violent secession which drew the rest of the multi-ethnic state into a war ambyss, were only an occasion for german commentators to redraw their picture of the balkan crisis and put all the blame on others in europe.

slovenia's secession led to a 10-day war with the yugoslav people's army (jna). croatia's secession sparked off several-month fighting with local serbs and jna.

then came bosnia-herzegovina which was the scene of a war between local muslims, serbs and croats for over three years and a half. the dayton peace accords put an end to fighting.

only macedonia seceded peacefully from the federation, in which serbia and montenegro remained.

when german commentators make accusations against europe and speak about collective guilt in order to conceal the bareness of an inadequate political course, they are not angry because europe failed to prevent the outbreak of the crisis or avert war in yugoslavia, but only because it failed to side with the secessionist republics much earlier.

europe has lost its dignity, suddeutscze zeitung said, adding that developments in croatia showed the shortcomings of the foreign policy of germany which, in 1991, hastily assumed the role of protector of the unpredictable regime of ultranationalist president franjo tudjman and forced european partners to recognize the secessionists.

one of the protagonists, the then german foreign minister hans ditrich genscher, has failed to give his explanation. in his 1,000-page memoirs, genscher wrote barely ten pages on the disintegration of the former yugoslavia.

officials remain silent and apparently wish to forget the half-decade chaos in mountainous balkans.

Copyright © Tanjug, Yugoslavia, 1996

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