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PRESS CUT - Croatian Press News in English	

October 1, 1998


* TOP STORY

1. ARCHBISHOP BOZANIC MAKES PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING PAPAL VISIT TO
CROATIA
 Two Martyrs Mark Visit
 Inspiration to Step into the Future
 New Page in History

* CROATIA

2. PICTURE OF CARDINAL STEPINAC DESTROYED
3. EU POLICIES SLOWING DOWN TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
4. ZAGREB TO HOST CEI MEETING IN NOVEMBER
5. CROATIA LOSES IN ATHENS
6. CROATIAN TEAMS BETWEEN THE HOOPS
7. VARTEKS LOOKING TO MAKE IT TO SECOND ROUND OF CUP WINNERS CUP

* BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

8. WORLD BANK WANTS VETERANS CERTIFICATES SETTLED
9. LESS THAN 1% OF APARTMENTS BOUGHT OUT
10. ZUBAK SATISFIED: NHI REPRESENTATIVES AT ALL LEVELS
11. INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY LASHING OUT AT CROATIAN JOURNALISM - AGAIN
12. HELSINKI COMMITTEE APPALLED AT SECRET SERVICE ACTIVITIES

* YUGOSLAVIA

13. NEW MASSACRES IN KOSOVO
14. UCK CONTINUES TO FIGHT



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***


* TOP STORY

1. Hina, Crkva u Hrvatskoj danas je pred novim izazoviima, Vecernji list,
October 1, 1998, p. 2.
ARCHBISHOP BOZANIC MAKES PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING PAPAL VISIT TO CROATIA

ZAGREB - The Zagreb Archbishop and President of the Croatian Bishops
Conference, Msg. Josip Bozanic, made a public announcement regarding the
Papal visit to Croatia.

"Pope John Paul II is visiting Croatia for the second time. The last words
of the Pope at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in Zagreb on September
11, 1994 were: I hope that I will have another chance to see your
homeland, various cities and various churches in Croatia. This hope is
being fulfilled.

"Since 1994, many things have changed. The First Papal visit to Croatia was
at a time when Croatia felt the power of hate and destruction, death and
evil. At that time, the Pope, like an angel of peace, strengthened brothers
and sisters in faith so they are able to forgive, pray, and offer
reconciliation.

Two Martyrs Mark Visit
"Four years later, Pope John Paul II is again coming to Croatia. In the
thirteen centuries of continuous special relations between the Pope and the
Croatian people, the visits of Pope John Paul II have a special place in
Croatia and among its people. The Pope will visit Zagreb, Marija Bistrica,
Split and Solin from October 2 to 4. The motto for the Papal visit is you
will be my witnesses and will be marked by two martyrs: St. Dujme, the
bishop of ancient Solin and a martyr from the first centuries of
Christianity, as well as Gods servant Alojzije Stepinac, Archbishop of
Zagreb and contemporary martyr. This visit of pope John Paul II to Croatia
links the entire history of martyrdom in our country.

"There are extraordinary people and moments when history moves forward by
way of their achievements. Generations after us will study the special role
of Gods servant Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac and Pope John Paul II. The
second visit of the Holy Father to Croatia and the beatification of
Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, together create a magnificent and sacred unity
whose epic meaning will not be diminished by the coming centuries. Could
there have been a better way to prepare for the stepping into the third
millennium of Christianity?

"We are witnesses of the intervention of Gods intentions into our painful
history. Gods gift are always because of us and our salvation. Christ
says: My Father has been working up to now so I work (John 5, 17).
Christianity uncovers Gods deeds in human history. The foundation of
Christian optimism is the trust in God, who is the master of history. This
is found in the bishops motto of Cardinal Stepinac: I trust in You, Father.

Inspiration to Step into the Future
"Croatia has again been called to remember its Christian roots, its
martyred history and to look for inspiration from its most extraordinary
sons and daughters to step into the future. The Catholic Church in Croatia,
which was faced with communist persecution and a war right after that,
today faces new challenges. The hardships surrounding our country are well
known. Primarily, lost moral values must be revitalised. The solidarity
which accompanied us through the war has to be rediscovered and deepened.
Inner moral strength which is in the foundation of brave choices is needed.

"The Pastoral visit in 1994 during the war was called the Pilgrimage for
Peace. John Paul II shared numerous temptations with us and showed us the
way to hope. Today, this is a new beginning. The new voice of Croatia bears
witness to the fact that the republic, nation and society have become
sovereign. This is an expression of joy for newly found freedom. Croatia is
preparing for Papal messages directed toward the heart of man and social
systems, as only human moral ruins remain without God. Today renewed faith,
renewed hope and renewed love are needed.

New Page in History
"The visit of Pope John Paul II and the beatification of Cardinal Alojzije
Stepinac offer an excellent chance to turn to a new page in the history of
the Catholic Church in Croatia and the entire Croatia nation. With the
renewed joy of the faith, we want to become the servants of our countrys
people prepared to live in a Church that serves like the most perfect
figure of Gods Church in Croatia Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, a witness and
martyr of our time. His love toward God, his loyalty to the Church and his
dedicated service of the people entrusted to him show us the way to the
future.

"Everything that is happening in this historic moment of preparation for
the Great Jubilee, is happening in the year of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit
which brings with it spiritual signs: surprise, joy, a call for conversion
and a new life in Spirit. The first message reads: prepare yourself, renew
yourself, get moving, leave everything and follow the sign! The signs are:
John Paul II and the new saint Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac. They lead us
toward the Father who is passing through Croatia," concluded the message of
Archbishop Bozanic.

***


* CROATIA

2. M.F., Unistena Stepinceva slika, Vecernji list, October 1, 1998, p. 2.
PICTURE OF CARDINAL STEPINAC DESTROYED

VUKOVAR - Parents are bitter after an incident yesterday at the Fifth
Elementary School in Borovo Naselje.

According to the statement of one of the pupils, a group of ethnic Serb
pupils from the seventh grade broke into the second grade classroom with
Croatian children and destroyed a picture of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac.
After that they began screaming Ustasha and threatened to kill them all.

The story of this incident quickly spread and the parents called a meeting
for today with the administration of the school. They will demand the
separation of Croatian and Serbian children according to one mother. "We
want Croatian schools for our children."

Police went to the scene immediately to see if there was any truth to the
childrens story, but made no statements as of noon yesterday.

***


3. Hina, Stajalista EU-a usporavaju proces transformacije, Vecernji list,
October 1, 1998, p. 5.
EU POLICIES SLOWING DOWN TRANSFORMATION PROCESS

ZAGREB - The Croatian government has expressed its surprise with the
comments made by Per Vinther, the European Commissions Special Envoy, in
an interview for Reuters published Tuesday. Vinther said if Croatia had not
carried out the Flash and Storm operations, it would be in the PHARE
Program and have some kind of contract with the EU today.

"The Croatian government feels that connecting the Flash and Storm
operations with the opening of the PHARE Program is completely politically
unbecoming and unacceptable. Statements like the ones made yesterday by the
representative of the European Commission can lead to a conclusion that
many of the unbalanced pressures on the Republic of Croatia, are a result
of the fact that it won its independence and complete sovereignty in its
internationally recognised territory solely with its own resources. This
obviously is not complimentary to the interests of certain members of the
international community," says a government release.

The release continues: "Unfortunately, if the above mentioned reasons are
the true reasons why EU support is lacking, we are led to believe that the
EUs approach toward Croatia greatly differs in its very essence from its
treatment of other central and eastern European transitional countries.
This kind of EU policy could objectively hinder the multi-level
transformation process of Croatias society and economy."

At the end of the statement, the government expresses its "readiness for
constructive and open talks with representatives of the European Union, as
the only real way to establishing honest partner relations."

***

4. M.T., Zagreb u studenome domacin skupa SEI-ja, Vecernji list, October
1, 1998, p. 5.
ZAGREB TO HOST CEI MEETING IN NOVEMBER

ZAGREB - As this years chairing country of the Central European initiative
(CEI), Croatia will host a meeting of premiers and foreign ministers of the
16 member countries from November 20 to 21. This is the first time since
the CEI was established in 1989 that this political summit will be
accompanied by an economic forum. All meetings will be held on the Zagreb
International Fairgrounds.

Economics Minister Nenad Porges spoke about the economic forum at a press
conference yesterday. His CEI colleagues will come to Zagreb to talk about
liberalising trade among CEI members. Jurica Pavelic, Zagreb International
Fair general manager, also met with journalists.

"Croatia does almost 49% of its foreign trade with CEI member countries:
mostly with Austria, Italy, Slovenia and B&H," explained Porges. "Foreign
trade with the other 12 countries is eight percent. We gave up too boldly
and hastily from that rich market."

The economic forum of the CEI will give business people and investors
interested in the central and eastern European markets the chance to get
acquainted with the conditions of doing business in CEI countries; to meet
high ranking state officials and to present them with their projects.

***

5. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 1, 1998.
CROATIA LOSES IN ATHENS

ATHENS - Croatian champion Croatia lost 2:0 to Olympiakos in their Group A
match-up last night in the second round of the UEFA Champions League. The
Greek team attacked Croatia from the opening whistle and overpowered the
Croatian champion. Though Croatia had numerous chances, the Greek goalie
was as swift as the wind, picking off every Croatian scoring attempt. The
other game in Group A was played in Amsterdam with Ajax defeating Porto,
Croatias next opponent, 2:1. Here are the Group A standings after two
rounds of play:

Olympiakos	4:2	4
Ajax		2:1	4
Porto		3:4	1
Croatia	0:2	1

The next round will be played October 21: Porto - Croatia (in Lisbon) and
Olympiakos - Ajax (in Athens).

***

6. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 1, 1998.
CROATIAN TEAMS BETWEEN THE HOOPS

ZAGREB - Cibona lost their second B Group game against the Spanish champion
TDK Manresa in Zagreb last night. The score was 54:61 (25:32) Cibona - TDK
Manresa. The loss puts Cibona third in the B Group standings. Their next
game will be in Zagreb on October 8 against Greek representative
Panathinaikos, which is currently first in the standings. Here are the
standings for the B Group of the Euroleage:

Panathinaikos		+28	4
TDK Manresa		+6	3
Cibona 		-4	3
Efes Pilsen		+4	2
Crvena Zvezda		-9	2
Maccabi		-22	1

In Saporta Cup competition, Split had no problems defeating MZT, as they
beat their Macedonian guests on Tuesday 85:74 (41:44). After their
catastrophic loss in France (-27), everybody was on edge prior to the game,
as MZT is a very good and experienced team. However, once the teams
tipped-off, it was obvious Split is the better team and they won the game
without any major problems.

The same cannot be said for Zagreb, as they lost at home to Slovene team
Pivovarna Lasko by one basket - 78:80 (35:38) in their second game in the D
Group of the European Basketball Cup. The reason for their loss was that
the key players were not up to par. This loss pretty much puts them at the
bottom of their group, as they also lost their first game in Belgrade
against Partizan.

***

7. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 1, 1998.
VARTEKS LOOKING TO MAKE IT TO SECOND ROUND OF CUP WINNERS CUP

VARAZDIN - Varteks will be playing their second leg game in the first round
of the UEFA Cup Winners Cup against the Slovene representative, Rudar from
Velenje today.  Varteks has the advantage from the first leg, as they
defeated Rudar in Velenje 1:0. Therefore, Rudar needs a victory in
Varazdin, but that is not very likely, as player/coach Drazen Besek will
have his top guns on the field. Here is the expected starting line-up for
Varteks: Solomun, Madunovic, Gregoric, Besek, Balajic, Hrman, Dalic, Muzek,
Mumlek, Karic and Kamberovic. The game kicks-off at 15:30 (CET).

***

* BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

8. J.C., Croatian Information Centre - Sarajevo, October 1, 1998.
WORLD BANK WANTS VETERANS CERTIFICATES SETTLED

SARAJEVO - Experts from the World Bank estimate that the maximum manageable
amount of military savings and back-pay that can enter into privatisation
schemes is six billion German Marks. However, there is currently 8.8
billion DM in savings and back-pay has already been distributed or verified
to veterans of the recent war.

The Office of the High Representative is seeking a revision, while the
World Bank wants answers. At the same time, the OHR put a limit of five
billion DM on the savings, while the World Bank limit was six billion and
possibly higher.

"The World Bank is very concerned because of the slow pace in solving the
problem," said Saumiya Mitra, deputy director of the World Bank in
Sarajevo. "There is much talk and confusion, but no agreements. The matter
needs to be settled quickly."

He added that until the problem is solved, privatisation cannot begin.
Furthermore, freezing the veterans savings certificates at the current
level only serves to decrease their value.

"Also, until the matter is settled, 90 million DM in already approved
credit cannot be released. This credit is for entity budgets, to help with
the transition to a market economy," said Mitra.

Mitra also explained that the certificates which have already been given
out need to be dealt with logically. That is, they should not completely be
spent on private enterprise.

Another part of the problem is between the B&H Army and the Croatian
Defence Council (HVO). The two organisations do not agree on how much each
should get. Mitra did not want to get into the matter, but did say that he
would be meeting with B&H Federation Prime Minister Edhem Bicakcic and
Defence Minister Ante Jelavic next week.

"Bicakcic and Jelavic are highly professional politicians and know how
compromises are reached. Its a matter of finishing never-ending
discussions," said Mitra.

***

9. J.C., Croatian Information Centre - Sarajevo, October 1, 1998.
LESS THAN 1% OF APARTMENTS BOUGHT OUT

SARAJEVO - Buy-outs of socially owned housing in the B&H Federation are
going at a snails pace if the results of the last six months are any
indication.

In the Sarajevo County, 706 buy-out agreements were certified by September
24 and 397 were still in the making. This is only one per cent of the
68,000 apartments which need to be privatised. Most of those people who did
buy apartments are government workers, who have enough cash in the bank.
Others must wait until privatisation is much farther along and the banking
systems revised.

Similarly, of the 6,500 eligible apartments in the Una Sana County, only 20
buy-out agreements have been signed. Meanwhile, the process has only just
begun in the Grude area, because officials wanted the whole West
Herzegovina County to begin at the same time.

Sevkija Okeric, director of the Agency for Privatisation for Sarajevo, says
the process has begun and more and more companies, which own the
apartments, are striking selling agreements.

"We are expecting things to pick up in October, because many firms have
increased their preparations for selling," she adds. "Also, veterans
certificates have begun to be deposited to our agency to go towards buy-outs."

Okerics optimism must be taken with caution. Hope that October will see a
wave of buy-outs is linked to the hope that it will also finally see
veterans certificates released. However, considering High Representative
Carlos Westendorp has requested the law on privatisation of companies be
amended, certificate release could be delayed yet again.

Could the changes to veterans certificates that Westendorp is seeking
affect peoples ability to use them to buy apartments? Okeric said her
agency follows the rules and instructions of the parent Federation agency.
Therefore, veterans certificates will probably still be a factor in buy-outs.

***

10. Croatian Radio Herceg-Bosna, News at 21.00, September 30,1998.
ZUBAK SATISFIED: NHI REPRESENTATIVES AT ALL LEVELS

SARAJEVO- The current B&H Presidency member and the President of the New
Croat Initiative (NHI), Kresimir Zubak, stated today that he was satisfied
with the results achieved by his party at the recent general elections in
Bosnia & Herzegovina. "We have achieved our most important objective, that
is we have become a parliamentary party at all levels of government," Zubak
said at a press conference in Sarajevo today. According to information
available to the NHI, it will have one representative in the state
parliament, four in the federal parliament and one in the Peoples Assembly
of Republika Srpska. In the county assemblies within the B&H Federation,
representatives from NHI and their coalition partner, the Croatian
Christian Democratic Union (HKDU), will have 16 representative mandates.

The president of the NHI also expressed his concern with the low attendance
of Croat voters at this years elections. According to NHI assessments,
about 230,000 Croats went to the polls, which was approximately 100,000
less than in 1996. He assessed the attendance of Croats in RS as being
good, where the two parties with Croatian prefixes won 23,000 votes.

***

11. Croatian Radio Herceg-Bosna, News at 21.00, September 30,1998.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY LASHING OUT AT CROATIAN JOURNALISM - AGAIN

MOSTAR - Representatives of the international organisations responsible for
the southern region of B&H commented the unsuccessful attempt of the return
of Serbs to the Mostar settlement of Rastani last week and the media
coverage of that event at a press conference in Mostar today.

The spokesperson for the regional OHR office, Chris Riley, reiterated the
statement made by this offices chief, Martin Garrod, at the press
conference on Monday. He said that he is doing so as the media did not
publish the position of the international community in a balanced manner.
Riley said that the international organisations will be shortly undertaking
measures to sanction the biased reporting on the events in Rastani by
Croatian Radio Herceg-Bosna and the Croatian Radio Station Mostar. His
allegations of "balanced stories" not being aired on the above mentioned
radio stations were refuted by the director of Radio Mostar, Tomo Mazalo
and the main editor of CR Herceg-Bosna, Milan Vego, who stated that they
had broadcast an exhausting report, delayed, however, due to the storm
which had stifled Mostar on Monday, leaving the town without electricity.
Riley then retorted that they do not wish to prejudice their actions
regarding the broadcasts in question and that they will carefully study all
radio transcripts.

The OSCE chief for Mostar, David Foley, commented on the standard of
journalism, stressing that a lot of effort was invested in journalism and
that he wants to see objective reporting. He added that citizens have the
right to hear what is said at press conferences. He also touched on the
possibilities for the return of Croats to east Mostar, stressing that they
"may return to empty houses which are awaiting them immediately".

In response to the question of what was holding Croats back from returning
to their homes, Foley said that he does not wish to say that the Croatian
political leadership is blocking the return of Croats.

***

12. Croatian Radio Herceg-Bosna, News at 21.00, September 30,1998.
HELSINKI COMMITTEE APPALLED AT SECRET SERVICE ACTIVITIES

By way of articles printed in the independent press, namely Dani and
Slobodna Bosna, the public has been presented with distressing
information on the activities of the secret services in B&H. Hence, the
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in B&H believes that the authorities,
particularly the B&H Presidency and the current chairperson, Alija
Izetbegovic, irrelevant to the actual degree of truth in the published
information, owe the public their version of the events, which have brought
uncertainty and fear to the lives of B&H citizens.

>From the position of elementary respect for the rights of all citizens to
be informed on the events in ones own country and departing from the right
of all citizens to receive at least the elementary information on the
activities of the services which are financed by their taxes, the Helsinki
Committee believes that it is the obligation of state institutions and
individuals to finally answer the questions which are being publicly asked.
"This is the fundamental assumption of democratic order and the duties of
the authorities toward every citizen," is the position of the Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights.

The Committee feels that legislative bodies in B&H must be authorised to
control the activities of the secret service, and that the secret service
must be answerable to the authorities in B&H, which is one of the vital
factors in the functioning of a democratic system, the Helsinki Committees
press release concludes.

***


* YUGOSLAVIA

13. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 1, 1998.
NEW MASSACRES IN KOSOVO

PRISTINA, BELGRADE - Serbian forces killed some 18 ethnic Kosovo Albanian
civilians in Obrinje, west of Pristina on September 26, several major
British and U.S. dailies reported on yesterday. The ages of the dead ranged
from 18 months to 95 years and included a young pregnant woman. Some of the
victims had been shot at close range or slaughtered with knives and some
had been mutilated, according to Western journalists and diplomats in
Obrinje, after speaking to survivors and viewing the victims' remains.
Further massacres of Kosovo Albanian civilians took place elsewhere in the
same area in recent days, according to the BBC and The New York Times. IN
spite of Serban Government claims to the contrary, Serbian forces continue
to surround some 700 civilians at another locality nearby.

The killings at Obrinje provide "first-hand evidence ... that Serbian
forces have been involved in killing civilians as well as in burning and
looting," the BBC reported. "The New York Times" wrote that the massacres
"show as definitively as anything that the forces of Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic have been conducting a campaign of terror and
destruction against ethnic Albanian civilians, which is intended to
intimidate them but which appears instead to be inspiring even stronger
defiance." John Fox, a former State Department official turned critic of
U.S. policy, told the BBC that the massacres provide evidence that Western
powers have been pursuing "the most cynical policy possible" in the region
by refusing to take military action against Serbian forces. A BBC
correspondent in Belgrade added that "if the West is serious, the time for
air strikes might be drawing close."

Furthermore, U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Christopher Hill, who is the top
U.S. envoy dealing with the crisis in Kosovo, told CNN from that the
accounts of the killings at Obrinje are "disturbing." He added that "there
have been a number of these reports.... It's one more reason why we need to
get international forensic experts in there" to establish the causes of the
deaths. Hill also said that the reports also highlight the "need to get the
political process going" in ending the crisis. Hill earlier spoke with
Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, who stressed the need for the Serbs
and Kosovo Albanians to begin negotiations. After speaking to Milosevic in
Belgrade on Wednesday, British Liberal Democratic leader Paddy Ashdown said
that Serbian policies have led to "villages in flames and destroyed and
plundered homes." He argued that Belgrade is conducting a "scorched earth
policy" and "total war" that goes well beyond what "civilized nations"
regard as an acceptable response to terrorism. Ashdown added that Milosevic
promised him to "personally see to it that security forces end their
operations" in Kosovo. The British political leader spent three days in
Kosovo before his talks with the Yugoslav president.

***

14. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 1, 1998.
UCK CONTINUES TO FIGHT

PRISTINA - The Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) issued a statement in Pristina
on Tuesday calling on the international community to act "more justly,
swiftly, and energetically to end the Serbian crackdown or the consequences
of the war in Kosovo could have an impact throughout the Balkans and
beyond." The guerrillas added that their own policies include taking
reprisals against "treacherous elements," by which they mean their
political enemies in Kosovo, as well.





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